Changing Hogwarts: Hidden Secrets of The Chamber
by Kelda XD
Summary: Meg is a day dreamer who is often criticised by her father by having her head in the clouds. She spends too much time reading books, especially Harry Potter. One Summer, when she is 11, she receives a visit from a small owl with a letter addressed to her.
1. Owl Post

_**Tis the new and edited version of Chapter 1!**_

_**With help from my Beta, Siriusly Southern, who has been v v helpful :)

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_Chapter 1_

_Owl Post_

_'"Ah, boil yer heads, the both of yer,"said Hagrid. "Harry-yer a wizard."_

_There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard._

"_I'm a _what_?" gasped Harry._

"_A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down in the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yer be? An' I reckon it's about time yer read yer letter."_

_Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to _Mr Harry Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. _He pulled out the letter and read:'_

"Megaline! Your Breakfast's getting cold!" My mother bellowed up the stairs.

"Can I please finish my chapter?!" I shouted.

"Meg. Breakfast. Now!" The lady has spoken. Defeated, I dropped my book and trudged down the stairs. A glance at the hallway clock told me it was 6:30. Sometimes I just want to strangle my mother.

"Yes?" I asked coldly, grouchy from being dragged out of bed at such a ridiculous time in the morning.

"Your father has an important business meeting, wouldn't you like to wish him good luck?" Mum asked.

"Good luck Dad," I muttered half-heartedly and he nodded his thanks, mouthful of toast. After sitting down I started to stir my lumpy porridge, while my loud family talked over my head. I might as well not be there, it was just as if I had turned invisible.

Just as I was thinking this, the conversation took an unusual, unwanted turn towards me.

"So Lucas, which of those instruments do you reckon we should get Meg playing?" asked Dad.

"I think she's best suited for the flute, really. There's no doubt a woodwind instrument would bring the best out of her. If we get her started this summer, she'll be in the school orchestra in no time, there's skill in the family after all." my brother replied confidently.

"So, what do you think, Meg?" The whole table turned towards me, pressuring me to grin and say something cheesy like 'can't wait!'. They really didn't know me at all, or maybe they did, but were refusing to believe that their only daughter had no interest in the arts, any of them.

"I don't want to play the flute." I said, keeping my cool.

"What _do _you want to do? You quit guides after a week, burnt your ballet shoes when you were five and never went to a single rehearsal for the school choir or the school production. We're running out of ideas here, hun."

"I want to write." Need you ask?

"Going to be the next Beatrix Potter, are you?" he cackled, like a baddie in a film.

"More like J K, our Meg." Matt joked.

My father looked down as he poured more milk into his tea, stirring it absent mindedly, he delivered his lines as if I was a problem to be dealt with, a case to be solved. You could tell when Dad was being serious, the atmosphere held tight as a tightrope and no one spoke, it could be broken with a whisper.

"Look, kid, your Mum and I worry about you. You spend all day up in your room, reading and writing. If you do indeed decide to go into writing seriously then we're behind you all the way. But at the moment, your grades are suffering and you're not socialising either, if you learn an instrument you could go round the word exploring new places, meeting people, becoming part of a team. Write, and you're alone, sweetheart. If your writing fails then you have nothing fall back on, no extra tricks up your sleeves. The only As you ever get are in English. If you're not going to develop a hobby, please, at least, work on your grades. They're just getting worse and worse."

"More of a Luna Lovegood, than a Hermione Granger, aren't you sis?" Lucas jeered and Mum hit him over the head with a rolled up newspaper.

"That's enough, you may go." She said as they left to get ready for their Saturday jobs. "Meg, you're alright to clear the table, aren't you?"

"Sure."

"My little sister, the day dreamer." Matt chortled, playfully tapping his fist to my ear as he passed.

"Get off," I mumbled as they abandoned me with only my cold, untouched porridge for company. Shamefully, my family was right. I always had my head in the clouds, never concentrated on lessons and therefore struggled with homework. Matt helped me as much as he could, but even that didn't get me very far. Even in English I could only listen when we were either reading fiction or writing them. Language topics I completely failed on, but I could spell since I read so much; it was second nature to me. I wish I did work hard at school but somehow I just switched off when a teacher started talking. In my first few years all the teachers were excited to teach me, as they had taught my brothers, but they soon realised how different we were: Lucas excelled in Music, he worked at a local music store and was in a successful band. Although he was always busy with band practice, his grades never wandered below a B and he always managed to hand in his homework on time. Matt was a born genius and achieved top grades in almost everything, he enjoyed languages and had ambitions to take uni in France or Spain, to properly learn the language and even take it at A level as a native language. Fluency had a different meaning when you talked to Matt. How lucky I was to be in such a talented family. Huh, I felt like a Squib, a muggle born to magical parents. At least when we were on holiday I didn't have to lift a finger, but no one ever looked at me to lift a finger.

Sighing, I took up my familiar habit of gazing off into space, thinking things like: 'I wonder what it'd be like to eat a cloud.' or 'I wish I could jump tree to tree like that squirrel.' Mid daydream I noticed something very strange: a brown splodge in the sky. It was flying higher than the treetops and boldly soaring lower and lower, as if to land. Like a furry bullet, it plummeted towards earth, towards me. As this phenomenon drew closer I realised it was an owl with an envelope larger than him in his beak. The little owl was flying in broad daylight and heading for my French windows (a posh snob way of saying glass doors). My closed French windows.

_BANG!_

The poor little owl fell to floor, dazed by the collision. I jumped out of my chair to his aid and I was happily astonished to see him hopping around, anxious to give me his envelope. I took him in my arms and he affectionately tugged my hair.

"You've wondered a bit far from Hogwarts, eh?" I joked, giggling at the little owl. It was odd, at the very least, to find an owl in my garden in the morning, maybe the poor little thing's lost. I can always phone up the bird people later. "Who's this for then?" I said, turning over the envelope he had given me. It read: _Megaline Andrews, Seat Opposite The Window, The Dining Table, The Kitchen, 81, South Street, Burt's Hill, Dorset._

I almost screamed with shock. It was even in the authentic green that Harry had received several hundred times before his arrival at Hogwarts. My heart in my mouth and fingers trembling, I turned it over to find a purple wax seal with a Lion, Badger, Serpent and Eagle all encircling the letter H. I refused to believe it. I would not. Hogwarts, as good a story it may be, was just a story, a figment of the imagination. And this was a cheap joke a green biro, a hired owl and some use of a Christmas present from Santa. Since he was little Lucas had always enjoyed burning candles so he could pour the hot, melted wax all over scrap paper (or, more often, his fingers).

"Hey, this isn't funny!" I shouted up to Matt's and Lucas' windows, glad that my parents had already left for work. I was still outside on the patio but they heard me and opened their windows to answer.

"What have we done now?" Matt asked moodily.

"Thought it'd be funny to send me an owl, did you?" I shouted as they looked at me bewildered.

"She's finally lost it." Lucas stated to his brother and they both closed their windows with a _slam! _I sulked back upstairs, carrying my letter and my minute owl. The table lay forgotten.

Time passed agonisingly slowly. I completely dismissed the letter, refusing even to open it, but I couldn't help myself from wondering as we crept almost a week into the summer holiday. Try as I might, I couldn't get it out of my head, I kept coming back to all of those strange things that had happened to me, inexplicable things that I never asked to happen but somehow willed them into being. There were several occasions on school trips where I had made the lights turn off in a girl's dormitory I was passing, making them scream with fright (they had teased me that morning), or made someone's alarm clock keep running, no matter how many times she pressed the off button (she'd annoyed us all last night by eating the last of the éclairs when we were supposed to have one each). On one fantastically memorable occasion I had tripped a school bully over a non-existent stone, not only did I cake his designer clothes in mud but also broke his nose in the process. There were several people who believed that I had put my foot out, but no one really took them seriously. One of my favourites was when I had my friends over in the holidays and we took it in turns to straighten my hair. After this my mum sent us off down the shop and on the way back it was raining. We ran as fast as we could with our jumpers pulled over our heads but in the end everyone was drenched. Apart from my bone dry hair which was, if anything, looking wondrously glossier and straighter from the event.

These strange things happened quite often and gave me quite a reputation so I had a few widespread friends. My closer friends, the four of us, hung out together all the time and chatted non stop through out lessons. We were always very happy-go-lucky, we lived for now and frankly didn't give a toss to middle school grades which didn't even have any bearing on your future careers. At least I could be proud of my English mark, but Helen and Jenny were in bottom sets for everything. Which would be heart breaking...if they actually cared. I was with them in the same boat for Maths, and in Science I was middle but for English I was in the top, though proud of myself, I really didn't want to rub it in their faces. Ange, as she always stood up for me without a doubt, was my best friend of the three and was pretty average in school, but a major genius in Science. She had high ambitions career wise, but it all involved taking courses that were given in high school, and there was nothing she felt passionate about now. Which is fair enough. I was happy where I was, I guess. I ate up time by writing my stories and reading HP and I could always look for a friendly face in class but it felt like there was more, like I was missing something. I just didn't know what yet.

It was when I was just moving onto _The Chamber of Secrets_ and having a break of maximum 5 minutes between the two when my eye kept catching the envelope on my desk. It was easily visible from where I sat with my laptop writing fan fic after fan fic. It was starting to creep me out, the way it called to be opened. I gave in eventually and pulled out the first letter which was an invite, identical to the one written out in _The Philosopher's Stone. _I moved on to the next letter without hesitation, trying to find out, if possible, roughly how long ago Harry and his friends had been at the school. I wasn't quite sad enough to know exact dates. I scanned down the page of everyday requirements at the school to the book list which read:

Set books

All students should have a copy of the following:

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

One Thousand Magical Herbs by Phyllida Spore

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Smith

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

I dropped the letter as if it were on fire. If Dumbledore thought he could drag me to Hogwarts _that_ year, he had another thing coming. Goodness, I picked a bad year to be born.


	2. The Third Letter

Chapter 2

The third letter

"Ange!" I moaned down the telephone. She was getting overly hyper again. When that happens everyone has to tie her up before she shoots off into the outer space. She also did the stupidest things when hyper, on one occasion in the middle of the night at a sleep over at my house she grabbed a moam, unwrapped it, threw the sweet in the bin and ate the wrapper. Either she was secretly blonde or has a hidden obsession of eating paper.

"It's alright, I'm saaaaaaaane now!" She said, barely coherent with joy.

"Do you mind telling me why you are so hyper?" I asked.

"Can I come round? Then I'll explain, promise." Freakishly she actually sounded slightly more sane.

"What nerve! Inviting yourself round my house, I think not!" I exclaimed, pretending to be posh and proper.

"Lol!"

"I'll see you in a minute then!" I said, sighing as my parents got the gist of invitation and started to hopelessly move the mess that was our house.

"Yeah! See ya!" She chanted with joy before hanging up. We had never been house proud but we didn't really like it looking so much like a dump. To me, Ange came round here so often and knew what our house was like, so it didn't matter in the slightest, but to mum it was a different matter.

Ange got there in 11 mins, a record. She loved racing on her bike down the grassy heathland to our house, break neck speed. I came out to greet her in the cool sun and she gave me a huge hug. Which made us both fall over in the soft grass in my back garden. We giggled and poked each other, like 5-year-olds.

"It!" I claimed as I tapped her on the shoulder then ran like hell.

"No fair!" She said, folding her arms and not bothering to chase me, she knew I was quicker. "I know a song that will get on your nerves, get your nerves, got on your nerves! I know a song that will get on your nerves and this is how it goes!" She sang, over and over again until I came right up to here.

"I give in." I said, pulling her cap over her eyes.

"Come on! I need to tell you!" She grinned and dragged me through the front door and inside the house. You may think: shouldn't I be doing the dragging? It was my house after all. But it had always been like this. "'Afternoon Katherine, Steve." She said to my parents who were enjoying their glorious day off, as it was a Sunday.

"Hey there." Said my Dad as we passed and my Mum waved.

"It is so strange in your house on a Sunday." She commented. "My folks always do family stuff, like scrabble."

"Really?" I asked, but it seemed quite possible for her close-knit family.

"Yeah, well, I do have three younger sisters. Dad says 'it must help with their English!'" She said, mimicking her Dad's strong African accent. She had never gone to Africa herself but her father had only moved over twenty years ago. I was always jealous of Angie's African features, her beautiful gold-brown skin, blackish brown eyes and dark hair with ringlets.

We reached the the landing and she opened my door with a click. My room looked like a thief had got in. My dad was once was robbed, all his neighbours were appalled when they saw the state the thief left it in. Even more so when they heard it was exactly like that before. My clothes were all over the floor and a whole pile of Harry Potters (up to no6 and a lot of fanbooks) took up my bed. But Ange simply plopped herself down on the carpet.

"Go on then, I'm bursting to know." I said, faking enthusiasm hopelessly.

"Well...you know I said I was ditching our school for the poshos down the road? You know, when my parents were gonna make me for y8?" I remembered alright, it scared me half to death. But know, if Hogwarts indeed was true, it looked like it was me who was going.

"I won the argument." She grinned, expecting me to be as ecstatic as her. She dropped the smile immediately, thinking I didn't understand.

"I'm staying. We're still gonna be at the same school in y8, y9, forever! Well school feels like forever but we've only got 8 years left." She claimed, now looking worried at my expression.

"What's wrong?" She said as I bit lip to bleeding. "We're going to be together, right?" I shook my head as she looked more and more horrified.

"I have something to tell you." And I gave her the envelope, which had lain innocently on my desk. "Remember all those times I've done strange things?" I asked and she nodded wide eyed while she pulled out the first paper and her jaw dropped to form a little 'o'.

"It...can't...be..._real._" she gasped while reading the invite and the requirements. She had also read the books, who am I kidding everyone has, and also was shocked and scared to see all of Gilderoy Lockhart's collection. "No, no, no, no, no." She muttered, reading further. I left her alone for a minute to read the letters and overcome the shock. The envelope lay forgotten on the carpet and I noticed it had a third letter in it that Angie hadn't noticed.

"I wonder what this is." I said, holding the third letter, something that was not usually found in the owl post from Hogwarts.

"What? Why are you being so silly, there's nothing there." She stated, clearly confused and irritated at my stupid question. If Ange couldn't see it, does that mean it was only for me and would remain invisible for everyone else? Or were only wizards able to see it? None the wiser I out the mysterious third letter in my pocket and waited ever so patiently for Angie to stop reading.

"You're not going." She said simply, putting the letters on the floor and wiping small tears from her eyes.

"You believe me?" I was astonished, it had taken me a week to believe and I was still waiting for someone to shout 'April Fool's'.

"Course I do, stupid. But you know what happened at Hogwarts last year and what will happen in the next 5 years, don't you think that will look a bit suspicious?"

"I'm sure Dumbledore had a reason for choosing me."

"But you're a muggle born, you're not going to last this year." She murmured, her head drooped to stare at her knees.

"I'll be fine, after all only five muggle borns are ever petrified." Truthfully, I was terrified too, but I knew everything about the chamber and basilisk, I was completely prepared and I'd always be on the look out. I would be better protected than any of the muggle borns in the school.

"No. You are not going to do that to me and your family. Don't you even care?" And we both dropped our heads unable to look at each other.

"I'm sorry, but I feel like I belong there, like it's what I'm here for. I won't be killed, promise, I'll always be on guard, walk to and from classes in large groups and have a mirror in my pocket for when I'm alone. The other muggle borns won't have a clue, they'll be easy prey." I could kill myself for being so selfish, but it was true. I could be the last muggle left in the school.

"I'm going to lose this argument aren't I?" She sighed, she never lost arguments, always putting the last word in at the end.

"Yes, can you come with me to tell my parents?" I asked timidly and she nodded, reluctantly following me out of the room. We told the boys to come to the living room straight away where I brought my first two letters, envelope and my owl, which I had named Wulfric, flew above us as he realised something was happening. He had been extremely well behaved the past week, he kept quiet in my room and pretended to be stuffed if anyone came in. I did need to get him a cage though.

"Wow, did he bring the envelope Meg?" Ange asked in amazement as the little bird flew over her head.

"Yeah, he didn't want to be leave." I grinned, my own bird, I'd never had a pet before.

I assembled everyone in the living room where they had the comfy armchairs and sofas but Ange and I had to stand in front of them. I felt like I was being tested in front of an audience, it was so unnerving.

"So, everyone here knows that I've always been able to do strange things, that can't be explained." Everyone looked at me expectantly, anxious for the next word and I tensed up, wondering how on earth actors did it. "But now they can. Look at this." And I showed them the envelope and the first letter but kept the second as I didn't want them to know yet.

"Oh, so this is when you asked us about sending you an owl!" Matt realised and gazed at Wulfric, who had settled on my shoulder, in wonder. Everyone was impressed by my owl.

"So they have sorted out a loony school for you." Lucas said happily and everyone gave him the evils. "I was joking!"

"Aren't you happy dear? This is all you've always wished for after all." Mum said cheerfully when she saw mine and Angie's frowns. "I don't get it, what's wrong?"

"There's more." And I handed her the second letter. Her reaction was instant, she turned red, threw the paper at me and stood up. "You are not going to that school young lady, and I will stop you, if it's the last thing I do!" She bellowed then turned gently to Ange "I think you should go home dear." Then to me. "Your bedroom, now!"

I grabbed my letters, tears streaking across my cheeks. My father and brothers looked terrified but my mum was blazing with anger. I almost pushed Angie out the door as she protested then ran to my room. Crying out in anger I fell to my bed, throwing all the books on the floor. I crawled up under the bed covers, still fully dressed and cried myself to sleep.

The next morning I woke up at midday. Everyone had left and the house was silent. My mobile had 16 texts and 12 missed calls, all from Angie. I felt dead to the world, just drifting in the pain of what had happened yesterday. I wouldn't be going to Hogwarts. My family would find it hard to ever speak to me again and it would always be the family joke. That's all I ever was, a joke.

Although there was no one to disturb or awake, I trod carefully and silently down the stairs for brunch. There was a note in my mother's handwriting which read: _Gone to work, sorry about yesterday, let's not bring it up again. If you wish you can keep the owl, buy your books from Diagon Alley but then you must study at home, in June we will ask Dumbledore if you can join for your second year. But you are not going this year, and don't think you can talk me out of it. Love you very much, Mum. _At least it was a happy compromise, but I still felt I needed to go this year, as of I would be needed but I didn't know what for.

As I crept back upstairs, tummy full of Smash, I noticed a bump in my trouser pocket. Of course! The third letter which Angie couldn't see! Quickly and quietly I raced up the remaining steps to my room and unfolded the parchment which read:

_Miss Andrews,_

_I am sorry to unleash such a surprise as this on you. I know how familiar and fond you are of JK's books, I have wrapped you round them since you were a child. I am afraid to say that this year I will need you as a sort of tool but I promise that you're life will never be at risk your life and the lives of your classmates have been and will always be my first priority. I am sorry that no staff were able to accompany the letter for you, as they left it to me and I will be very busy over the summer period. Oh and, do keep the owl, and take good care of him, I was getting very fond of the dear bird._

_As I said earlier, I have an extremely important job for you. As yet, JKs books are not true and will not enfold as illustrated in the book without your help. What you read on the page is merely a story now. But if you would have the kindness to come to Hogwarts this year you could help the most wonderful magic happen. This is the first time I shall need a student so much but it is of vital importance. You will be splendid for the job, I have my complete faith in you. _

_I hope to see you soon and well,_

_Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

_PS: Kindly say the house-elve's name aloud for the first task in hand._

I placed the letter back on my desk and paced nervously, trying to work out what I should do. My mum was never going to sway from her decision, that was a lost case. I could catch the knight bus but then I had barely any money for a room at the leaky cauldron. I could catch the knight bus, buy floo powder with the little money I had then turn up at the Weasleys' but they didn't know who I was, weren't expecting me and that never happened in the book, I'd have broken the rules already. I could send a letter to Dumbledore explaining that I was sorry, and could he choose someone else, I couldn't be the only person for the job. The Leaky Cauldron it was then. Crying silently, I threw all my clothes, letters and books in my large holiday suitcase and pulled it down the stairs. In the blink of a an eye I held out my right arm and ran away from home.


	3. Diagon Alley

Chapter 3

Diagon Alley

_Harry didn't have to do his homework under the blankets by torchlight anymore; now he could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, finishing all his essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch-burnings, gave Harry free sundaes every half hour._

I woke up early the next morning in my cosy rented room. I yawned loudly and walked over to my mirror to brush my hair.

"If you ask me dear, that hair needs a bit of a wash." That mirror has cheek.

I stuck out my tongue but stepped into the en suite shower room (you can't really call it a bathroom). The shower warmed up immediately and spouts of boiling multicoloured water magically rained at me from the ceiling, no pipes or cords. I could fiddle with the taps in front of me to get exactly the right mixture of magical aromas and scents, each was colour coded. It was almost like the prefects bathroom at Hogwarts. There were many bubbles which flew instead of floating. These shiny, enchanted bubbles hovered up to the ceiling then exploded in a burst of fragrance. I had bought my shower gel, hair shampoo and conditioner all from Diagon Alley so they were magically enchanted to colour, straighten or curl my hair without using straighteners etc. I used my usual gel to gloss my hair slightly and straighten it to perfection. Once I was out of the shower I used a magic guest towel to rub my damp hair. When I removed the towel my hair was immaculately straight, glossy and a brilliant red. I dressed quickly in muggle clothes and ran downstairs, my shoes clattering as I went.

"Morning, Meg." Said Tom, the innkeeper, grinning and waving from behind the bar.

"Morning!" I said cheerfully, I owed a lot to Tom. He had given me a room for two weeks at half price with free breakfast when he heard my story. Of course I couldn't tell him about the chamber, I just said that my parents hated Harry Potter and Dumbledore and didn't specify that I was muggle born. To pay him back I cleaned dishes every night but he sneaked my pay into my room every morning since he knew I would never accept it. I would be living in a cardboard box if it wasn't for generous Tom.

I ate my eggs in record time and tapped the brick wall to enter Diagon Alley. The street was the most amazing thing I had seen in my life, it was brightly coloured and uncannily cheerful. I didn't need any cheering charms here, this was enough to put me in hysterics with happiness. It was even better than described in the book, it was the best place I'd ever been, by far. I first went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour where I worked a morning shift to pay for my books, I'd earned enough for a wand, uniform and cauldron but my urgently needed hair products had set back the books. But I had plenty to read as there was a library around the corner which had never been mentioned in the books, it was a lovely little place with so many magical fictional novels, I was in heaven! There were stacks upon stacks of heavenly literature which held sad stories like _Love Dissaparated_ where a young witch fell in love with a wizard and entranced him with her own love potion. They lived happily ever after and had many children before she thought he loved her enough to withdraw the potion but she was mistaken. I loved the teen books which were mostly set in schools with the characters getting up to the most atrocious things and playing Quidditch, it reminded me strongly of JK's, without Lord Voldemort. There were children's books such as _Beedle The Bard's_ and _Hocus Pocus._ They weren't too different to muggle books back home but were more imaginative and, of course, all about magic. I also got my teeth into some heavy spellbooks with certain charms I would need, I put a special charm on all my Harry Potter books so their cover appeared a plain navy and the pages entirely blank to every witch or wizard but me. The precaution was necessary as I would definitely need the books to check up on what needs to be preserved, avoided or fixed. But it would be disastrous if someone found out about the fictional Harry Potter but it beat me how thay didn't know already...

The shift at Florean Fortescue's was fun but tiring and boiling as there was little shade from the blazing heat where I stood. I always loved working there because I got as much free ice cream as I wanted in enchanted flavours. There were no plain old strawberries, vanilla or chocolate but strawberry ice creams that tasted gorgeous and made you feel about five with excitement and obsessions with pink, it also shrank your voice so you even sounded like one. The vanilla flavour made you speak in rhyme for half an hour, always with a sunny disposition and it was also so rich in flavour you were immediately addicted. The chocolate, oh, the chocolate one was so uplifting you were literally hovering above the pavement for ten minutes (it was a very advanced enchantment). I saw our customers doing somersaults in the air and jumping over their friends heads. The taste was of the best quality chocolate found in all the world and was a 100 times better than even Lindt or Thornton's. There was also peanut butter and toffee, but they didn't have special effects as far as I knew.

Today I chose the chocolate and flew gracefully to the library for more books, I had finished ten library books and reread JK's about 100 times in the week that I'd stayed in this amazing place. It was impossible to think about my parents when I was so happy in the magical world. I had sent a letter to Angie to tell her I was safe and happy and didn't want anyone to find me, that I didn't care how dangerous Hogwarts was. I'd demanded Wulfric to get a reply which came back in the form of a torn piece of lined paper which a few sentences of what my actions had done to my parents and how much she missed me herself but she said she understood my decision and sent me a shiny, plain, circular mirror. I cried that day, promising that I would not need it, I would be safe for my family and for Ange, it was the most I could do.

As I came back from the library I spotted a poster on the shop window of Flourish and Blotts advertising their visits from the man they're all talking about: Gilderoy Lockhart the fraud, but then only I knew that. I'd read his books in the library and they weren't too bad but he was so full of himself I just wanted to slap him, actually I'd probably just feed him to the Basilisk. The date was set for the Wednesday the 20th which is when the Weasleys', Harry and Hermione would be here, which sent my heart racing. My first real life glance of my life long idols! How many people can say they've met the _real_ Harry Potter? Shame we didn't meet Luna Lovegood until 5th year, but if I was put in Ravenclaw I would be in her class! Just thinking about this made my head spin with giddy joy. It would be a dream come true.

With cash to spare I stepped into the shop and bought my Charms, Transfiguration and Magical History books. The helpers at the desk were friendly and helpful, they, like everyone else, knew my name and the public version of my story by now.

Some people who knew thought I shouldn't have left home and got Dumbledore to sort it out instead of being so reckless. But most of the wizards and witches here believed they would have done the same and did what they could to help me earn enough money to have everything for Hogwarts. Tom recommended I got my Gilderoy books before the scheduled public signing as they would be three times the price which meant I had three days which made it at a squeeze if I went without lunch and dinner, so from tomorrow I would work extra shifts at Florean Fortescue's. It was hard having to work for what I needed all the time and sometimes I cried myself to sleep feeling sorry for myself, having to run away from my own home was tragic enough. But I held it in and every day just the thought of Hogwarts expelled all thoughts of my family and the deadly basilisk.

"Sir, may I please buy the complete conglomeration for the infamous Gilderoy Lockhart collection?" I said, in perfect rhyme after a hard day's work of eating vanilla ice cream.

"Indeed Meg!" He replied, grinning and disappeared under the counter, reappearing with a huge stack of books that was so tall you would have never guessed someone was there.

"Dear me, oh grace, I'll need a new suitcase!" I exclaimed as the poor man dropped them all in hysterical laughter. "The ice cream's gone to tongue, it really isn't that fun."

I handed over the money with a grin and together we struggled with the books down the hill dropping a few along the way ("Oh my, books fly!") but eventually making it to the Leaky Cauldron where Tom and a few of his customers pegged in to get all the books up the stairs while I did the cheering on bit – in rhyme.

"Heave ho, let's go! I'm a poet and you know it!"

"Oh, give it rest!" One wizard replied grumpily.

"She'll deserve it if you kill her, she had the ice cream - vanilla!" Laughed another wizard, making fun of me as I blushed pink.

When the books were finally at my doorstep I thanked them all ("Thank you all very much, I am ever so touched.") and stayed in my room even though it was only four o'clock. I was so proud of myself for earning that money that I started screaming and jumping around the room. The mirror found this very entertaining, ("You're like a spring, love. Do calm down _before_ you start cartwheeling down the stairs like a slinky") ok, entertained enough.

When I was tired of jumping around and screaming manically ("Finally, I was starting to think you'd shoot through the roof", well at least the mirror was pleased) I calmed down altogether but I was still bursting with happiness and started to reread all my letters, including the third letter. There was a part of the third letter which I may have noticed before but didn't do anything about: _PS: Kindly say the house-elve's name aloud for the first task in hand._ Oh no. Had I messed up? Was I supposed to make Dobby escape to Harry's and warn him like in the story? Had I missed my chance? Considering these complications brought me down a good notch. I stared out the window, which had an amazing view of Diagon Alley below, and thought of how angry Dumbledore would be that I had messed up so early in the year, it felt terrible to have let him down. But that might not have been one of my tasks, there was only one way to find out. Hastily I pulled a large, thick sheet over the mirror ("I'll get Tom, I will. Then you'll be sorry!") and said down on the edge of my bed, tense with anticipation. Hastily, in my head, I thought over some quick pointers on keeping Dobby quiet, thankfully I would have a lot more luck than Harry.

"Dobby." I said clearly to thin air, thinking of the Dobby from the film as I said his name. Nothing happened. I called again and still nothing. I tried again and again until the mirror started shouting for the cover to be pulled off.

But then I had a brainwave, maybe the characters here are exactly as the book depicts them, not the the film. After all Diagon Alley was laid out and looked completely different to the film, it was a poor copy. So this time I read quickly through Dobby's scene in the second book and thought carefully of his personality, his adoration of socks and how I had imagined him without the films.

"Dobby."

Crack!

And there in front of me appeared a pale musty coloured elf with wrinkles over his face and arms, you could tell he was young but it appeared all house elves do, wearing a bewildered tennis ball eyed expression and a very dirty pillow case.

"Where is Dobby?" Dobby said, looking around timidly.

"The Leaky Cauldron." And he jumped a mile as I spoke, drawing himself in as if I had a gun in my hand.

"Miss! Dobby greatly apologises for invading your privacy!" Dobby cried, blowing his nose with his pillowcase.

"I summoned you, there's nothing for you to worry about." I assured him but he still shook with fright. Poor Dobby. I wished with my whole soul I could free him now but once again it would break the reason I was here. I was getting sick of that.

"Why, miss?"

"Didn't you recently see Harry Potter?"

"But no one knows that!" Phew!

"Well I do! You might want to know it's thanks to you that he had bars on his windows and only allowed out for the toilet until the Weasleys rescued him." Dobby's huge bat like ears drooped when I mentioned he had been rescued.

"But Harry Potter is in danger, miss. He cannot come to Hogwarts." Dobby said angrily.

"Of course not. But are you going to give up?" Dobby shook his head and I told him exactly what he should do.

I was thoroughly enjoying the effects of my chocolate ice cream as I flew past Flourish and Blotts. A single glance at the window told me it was packed to bursting with Lockhart fans, almost all witches. But, hovering over the crowds' heads once I managed to get inside the shop, I could easily see the Weasleys with their flaming markers. Gilderoy was at the front with a very dirty HARRY POTTER!! Eeeek! I guess seeing really is believing. I was shaking as I recognised Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Mr and Mrs Weasley. They all looked very little like the actors in the films as the Weasleys were covered in freckles, Hermione had front incisors larger than my finger nail and Harry looked...different and let's leave it at that but they were exactly like in the book, like Dobby had been.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Gilderoy bellowed as the cameras came to a halt. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!

"When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography" - I doubt it, he's more likely to buy ten copies of the _The Monster Book of Monsters_ from the third book - "which I will be happy to be present him now, free of charge -" A roomful of insane witches actually and 'oooh'ed at this comment. "- he had _no idea_." And Lockhart shook Harry until glasses were all a skew, "that he would be shortly getting much more than my book, _Magical Me_. He and his school fellows will, in fact, be getting the real, magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Oh hell, that's a depressing thought. The crowd erupted with cheers as I started dreading what would probably otherwise be my favourite lesson, Defence Against the Dark Arts.

But something drove that entirely out of my mind, Harry was being released finally from Gilderoy's clutch and the crowd began to form an orderly queue I could see them coming towards me at the back of the room, even as the effects of the ice cream wore off completely. It was sensational to see them, it was as if they had jumped straight out of the page. As they came closer and closer I saw Malfoy advance, a vile expression on his face ("Potter, you've got yourself a _girlfriend_"). His father came up behind him and I saw him fight with Mr Weasley, I only realised later that I had been trembling the whole time I had witnessed the iconic event. When Ginny's cauldron flew I made my entrance under their feet, picking up all her books which had fallen on the floor. My hands were full of books when I found Riddle's Diary. Lucius had dropped it on the floor hoping someone would mistake it for Ginny's and put it in her cauldron (of course _that_ person always has to be me). At that moment I felt such hate of thing I wanted to penetrate it now with Gryffindor's sword. I could slip it inside my cloak, destroy it and no one would be any the wiser. But dutifully and reluctantly I added it to my pile which I then dropped into Ginny's cauldron who was standing there rather like a rabbit in the headlights, poor thing.

"These are all yours, right?" I asked hesitantly as she nodded.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Meg Andrews, I'll be Hogwarts this year."

"Me too!" She grinned, pleased to have made a friend already, "I'm Ginny Weasley."

"A _fine_ example to your children ..." We both turned round to see Mrs Weasley giving her father a force to be reckoned with. "_brawling_ in public ..._ what_ Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought ..." On and on and on. We both laughed at her parents as Fred (or George I never understand how JK knows which one's talking) tries to simmer her down a little.

"And that would be my _wonderful_ family." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"Tell me about it, my older brothers annoy the hell out of me and my parents are always, its like I've got so much pressure to be even half what they were at school." But I realised she was in exactly the same position but three times worse. "But now I'm a witch, I guess I'm off the hook."

"You're muggle born?"

"Yeah, it's not too unusual is it?" Not that I needed to ask but its better to play dumb.

"Not really but where are your parents?"

"At home, I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron." I said, a little wistfully as I thought of my rural little cosy village, so different from here. Ginny led me out of the shop as we made our way to the Leaky Cauldron where her family would be travelling by floo powder back home.

"That's terrible, why are you on your own?" She said, aghast at my conditions.

"Because they don't want me to go to Hogwarts."

"Poor you! You shouldn't be on your own, I'll ask mum if you can stay at our house, Ron gets Harry _and_ Hermione so why can't I get you? At least I'll know someone when I come to Hogwarts." My heart soared at the thought of staying at the Burrow for a week, it would be the perfect ending to my summer. But a girl called Meg never went to the Burrow in the books, I'd again be going against what I was here for. I drooped immediately as I realised this.

"I can't, I still need to buy loads of things for Hogwarts." This was unfortunately true.

"Why not buy it now?"

"I don't have the money yet, I work at Florean Fortescue's." I explained gravely, staring at my shoes.

"Shame, well I'll see you at King's Cross!" And she hugged me before she and her family and Harry (stashing his glasses in his pocket, much to my amusement) left in a poof of green smoke.


	4. Platform 9 34

Chapter 4

Platform 9¾

"Meg, that's enough. You've worked twice your shift today." Said Florean firmly as I handed another set of customers their ice creams.

"I'm not looking for extra pay if that's what you mean." I replied, refusing to give him eye contact as I checked the sales for the day.

"Then what?"

"I have to pay you back for being so generous to me, I don't deserve it."

"It's been my pleasure and I really am going to town tomorrow, it's not a step out of my way."

"But still, it's very nice of you to." He sighed at me and placed a handful of gold coins in my hand.

"You still have time to get something fun, not another schoolbook."

"But-"

"No buts, you still haven't visited _Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop_."

"Thank you." Feeling like a thief, I walked down the alleyway to a small joke shop at the corner it was a little dismal and soon to be outstripped by _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_ but still wonderful.

Vibrant colour and magic poured from every shelf, which were covered in Fireworks, trick wands, wizard crackers and more. There were sugar quills and self answer quills, children's broomsticks and chocolate broomsticks, books of easy card tricks that were actual tricks, not the-cards-up-my-sleeve muggle tricks, joke cauldrons and a whole covered with chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Cauldron Cakes and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum.

Half the fun was simply absorbing the atmosphere in the shop and looking at all the magnificent things. Then I had to choose what to do get, which was easier said than done. I decided to not get any of the sweets I could get cheaper from the trolley witch on the Hogwarts Express but buy something that would be fun and err...which one? After an hour of hovering between a large box of flavoured Chocolate Broomsticks, a pack of Sugar Quills and a Miniature Show-Offs broomstick I eventually chose all three, throwing in a bit of my own money since I couldn't choose.

The Miniature Show-Offs were model broomsticks with an even smaller rider in any size and colour which came with a book of spells to cast on your broomstick to make it perform loop the loops which turned the rider a pale green after a few in a row, and spells to make the rider hang from the broomstick or stand on it plus much more.

The pair flew above my shoulder as I walked back to my room at the Leaky Cauldron, to enjoy my last night at the place which felt more like home to me than my old muggle house had. On the way past Florean gave me my last chocolate ice cream, he knew it was my favourite. I flew back to the Leaky Cauldron and as I was stepping inside...

"Have fun at Hogwarts, love." Said a wizard much to my surprise.

"Th-thank you."

And before I knew it the whole pub was wishing me luck, shaking my hand and passing me butterbeers and cauldron cakes, on the house. They even sang a rousing chorus of 'For she's a jolly good fellow' and wizarding songs I I'd never heard of, all for me. My new miniature broomstick was adored and thrown curses at for fun every wherever I went. Someone set off indoor fireworks from Gambol and Japes which looked tremendous and gave you the shock of your life in one BOOM. I stayed up as long as I dared but eventually trudged up the stairs with my head light and my stomach comfortably warm with butterbeer, hot cocoa and cake.

I gazed out of the window at the bright, wonderful street below and wished I could stay here forever, never going home or even to Hogwarts. But it would never be any good to not go to Hogwarts. This was probably one of the calmest rule-keeping nights I'll have in a long while with all the things I'd need to do. But I still didn't want to leave.

I rolled over restlessly, ending up on the floor a few times. However hard I tried to think of nothing and keep calm the hours kept passing and I kept waking up. Even though my eyes were drooping and heavy with want of sleep. Usually I could hear the familiar noises of the pub at night, echoing up the stairs. But tonight it looked like everyone had turned in early, or it was very, very late indeed.

In an attempt to wear myself out I tip toed down the stairs to the pub below and helping myself to a steaming mug of cocoa. It warmed me up to the tips of my fingers and made me feel very drowsy, I could have drifted off there and then but I spotted a firework in its box, unused and forgotten from the display last night. I set it off with a tap of my wand and it set off in the air with calming pastel colours, it reminded me of the sea which changed into northern lights and became part of my dreams...

I woke up the next morning feeling strangely as if I'd had all the sleep in the world. The first thing I noticed was that I was very comfortable and warm, nestled under thick covers and with a pillow for my head. Didn't I fall asleep downstairs or was that just a dream? Although I didn't need any more sleep, I still wanted it and stayed in bed a full hour before-

_Tap, tap, tap_

"What?" I mumbled.

"Mr Fortescue is here to take you to the station."

"Sugar!" I shouted, jumping out of bed and throwing clothes all over the place in attempt to find something suitable.

"Good morning to you to." Tom said, chortling through the door.

"Yeah." I replied while throwing a t-shirt over my head.

Eventually I was dressed in my favourite hoodie, black with embroided white flowers, and a black and white tartan skirt. I had black tights and shoes to finish off the look, I desperately wanted to make a good impression at the platform, hopefully without looking like a snob. My just-washed long hair hung across my shoulders, reaching almost to my elbows and my blue eyes were bright with excitement.

I raced down the steps, with my suitcase floating behind me (as there were so many wizards here I could never be tracked down unless someone actually told them, also no one had actually told me I wasn't allowed to use magic yet). Florean was indeed waiting for me and commented on how beautiful I looked before waving goodbye to everyone and accompanying me to the car. The drive to King's Cross was uneventful, but there was a lot to see as I had never been to London before. It was a busy bustling town from what I could see, but it was more dismal and darker than Diagon Alley which was the best every time. Florean handed all his muggle money over to me after trying and failing to get into the station. It was hilarious to see him peering bewildered at the muggle ticket and the machines which at them.

????"Where's it come from?" He said, most worried when the machine produced a ticket from thin air.

"How do you apparate?" I asked, to show him how absurdly he was taking this. "Muggles come up with inventions like these all the time that work perfectly logically and are controlled by computers whereas magic just _happens_. There is no logic behind magic."

"Do you mean there's a witch or wizard hiding in that metal box?"

"Never mind."

We walked across platform 9, casual as ever. My trolley was packed with suitcases and Wulfric in his cage who was terwitt-terwooing at everything he saw, excited as I was.

"Will you come and stay at the Leaky Cauldron next summer?" Asked Florean, a little wistfully but never letting his emotions get the better of him. He was always the cheerful man.

"Maybe..." I trailed then remembered that The Weasleys, Hermione and Harry would be staying at the Leaky Cauldron next year. "Yes, definitely. I'll miss you."

We hugged for a brief moment then I ran through the barrier, truly into the world of Hogwarts.

The station was crowded with wizards and witches. There was barely a spare inch to breathe and all the adults were actually wearing cloaks, proper magic dress. But younger wizards and witches were 'modernising' with muggle clothes but still not quite up to date. I could hear catches of conversations as I pushed through the dense crowd, first years were the loudest of all.

"I can't believe we're actually going!"

"Everyone says Hogwarts is great."

"I hear the headmaster's off his rocker."

"I am so going to fail the tests this year!"

"Ben, we have 10 months before the exams, why make everyone murder you by worrying now?"

"Why aren't first years allowed broomsticks, it's not fair!"

"Ooh, Is anyone taking Divination?"

"We really do deserve the house cup this year, don't you think?"

"Quibbler! Only six knuts for a Quibbler!"

"I hope I make the Quidditch team this year."

"Am I the _only_ one who's read _Hogwarts, A History_?"

"This is Zooks, isn't he gorgeous?"

"We get to go to Hogsmeade this year!"

"No fair!"

"Has anyone seen my toad?"

It was the real Hogwarts in vibrant colours, truly alive and in front of me. But it was still very alien and unreal, it was still hard to believe it was all true. But here was here now, and I guess I'd have to accept it.

Not knowing anyone, I slumped against a wall and stroked Wulfric through the bars of the cage. It was 20 mins until the train arrived, well at least the Weasleys weren't here yet, that was going to plan. Bored silly I pulled out my phone and played a few tracks. Well, this was the last time I'd be able to use it for 10 ½ months, electrical equipment doesn't work in Hogwarts.

The next time I checked the ornamental clock it gave us 4 minutes until the train arrived, where were the Weasleys?

Just as the train arrived, George, Fred (don't ask me which way round), Molly, Percy and Ginny tumbled through the barrier, much to my relief.

"Latin name for lock." I shouted and the barrier concealed itself with a 'click'. Sighing with relief I wandered over to the Weasley crowd.

"Ginny!" I called and she pun round grinning, bursting with the excitement of going to Hogwarts, but I could see she was also almost trembling with nerves.

"Hey, Meg. Did you get all your stuff, then?"

"Yeah. And I got some extra pay for Gambol and Japes."

"Cool, can I see?"

"Sure, when we get on the train, it's about to leave."

"Err..." Ginny spun round looking slightly puzzled. "Did you see my brother and err..." Flushing before saying his name, blimey. "Harry come through the barrier?"

"No, I don't think I did." I started peering over people's heads while acting innocent. She stared at the ground worriedly for a moment while I cast the reverse charm.

"They'll be fine, they're always getting into trouble." She hugged her mother goodbye and we stepped onto the train, choosing a vacant compartment but we were soon joined by the twins.

"Hey, you're Meg, right?" Said the first, shaking my hand. "I'm Fred."

"And I'm George." Said the other, shaking my hand as I tried to memorise the differences in their faces, but there were none. They were identical to the last freckle. But then they probably told me their names the wrong way round too.

"Are you sure, you look to me like twins who would never tell someone their names the right way round."

"Really? What do those people look like?"

"Trouble." Ginny giggled as the twins indeed revealed themselves as George and Fred, not Fred and George. Now I just had to remember which was on the left and which on the right. The conversation flowed from our summers (Ginny went on and on about Harry), to where Harry and Ron were anyway (Hermione came in looking for them, looking very angry and worried), to Hogwarts.

"Are there really ghosts there?" I asked.

"Yeah, and you know ghosts always are preserved in the state they were killed at..." said Fred, I think.

"so at Hogwarts they all have mutilated faces and ripped clothing." So that must be George. Process of elimination.

"One time a dismembered ghost's hand wandered into our classroom."

"All the girls were standing on the chairs screaming, it was hilarious."

Ginny looked traumatised. I would have thought 11 years of their jokes would have taught her to never take them seriously, but no.

"Isn't there supposed to be a poltergeist?" I plucked up.

"Peeves, he's a right jinx..." George started.

"dropped a dungbomb on us on the first day."

"Aren't poltergeists supposed to be invisible?" I asked, it was something I'd been sitting on for a while. But I knew I'd said something strange when both the twins turned to give each other funny looks.

"We never said he wasn't." Oops.

"Someone else told me, I was just wondering.

"Well, Peeves isn't and I don't know any others personally."

"It's not something we do, chasing after and tracking down poltergeists that are supposedly invisible."

"Anyway, it's bad enough with just Peeves. Anyone fancy Exploding Snap?"

With that we abandoned my hopeless stabs at conversation and played with Fred and George's battered set of cards on the small table. Fred, at least I think it was Fred, won all of the games hands down, slipping up his twin easily every time.

Very soon, the trolley witch came along and I bought chocolate frogs, pumpkin pasties and cauldron cakes galore. We decided that the winner of each game was allowed a sweet, if we played in pairs. So the twins paired and Ginny and I paired. We were pretty much even so had equal shares of the chocolates and got out my miniature broomstick for a mess about.

The twins found my little toy hilarious and almost murdered the rider with the enchantments they cast on it. They also showed off what they had bought at Gambol and Japes, indoor fireworks. Somehow I still had plenty of fascination for these and Ginny and I were the most hilarious crowd, aahing and oohing a bit too enthusiastically.

"We're saving a few for Filch's office and the trophy cabinet." Said Fred.

"To be honest, Filch would be bored silly if we weren't at Hogwarts."

"True."

"Have you...?...what...I...but..." I mumbled incoherently as I realised the twins appeared to have swapped clothes! "Oh, you changed seats! I hate you!"

The twins roared in laughter, helping themselves to the last of the sweets. Ginny couldn't hold back a giggle and soon we were all laughing, it was better than having chocolate, strawberry and vanilla at once (auto laughing fit), not even Angie could make me feel this happy.

Hogwarts wasn't far now, maybe just over the horizon, the train was steaming across green fields when I peered out the window. The sky was covered in clouds, which meant I could easily see the Blue Ford Anglia, twisting awkwardly through the clouds high above.

A beautiful medieval castle rose above us on the hillside. There were turrets upon turrets and towers overcrowding it. The castle was almost as wide as the mound it sat on, it was quite probable that magic held it there. It was Hogwarts, things just kept getting better, didn't they? Rather depressingly, my ten most amazing things had all occurred in the last two months, and this, so far, made top.

The train stopped before a raised platform where Ginny and I left Fred and George to join the other first years. Somehow the other pupils still had something left to talk about but the general snatches I overheard were all about sorting, which terrified me.

I was so deep in my thoughts with worry that I didn't realise when I was walking towards the lake and clambering into the boats, naturally, I paired with Ginny. But, all too soon, we were seconds away from Hogwarts.

Ginny was lucky, guaranteed a place in Gryffindor, although this year you could easily doubt it. But then I knew of her unbeatable Bat Bogey Hex. But Ginny didn't know this, poor thing, she was gazing off vaguely towards the lake, she was scared too. Imagine being the only Hufflepuff, Slytherin or Ravenclaw in a family full of Gryffindors, I would hate it. So I took her anxiety in both hands and elbow her in the ribs.

"Hey, what's with the spacing out?" I asked kindly.

"I'm just...nervous I guess." She murmured, not raising her face.

"It's not the end of the world if you're not in Gryffindor." She gave a feeble glance up, as if to say: How did you read my mind? "It's not rocket science, you know. All six of your brothers have been in the same position, you're parents were Gryffindor too, weren't they? And I bet even great, marvellous Harry Potter worried about this at Sorting. I see a smile!" She giggled. "You know I'm right, and that there is nothing to worry about."

"I'm not very brave." She said a little sadly.

"You're the bravest witch of my age that I've met!" I exclaimed uselessly.

"Ha, I should get a prize."

"Look, it doesn't matter which house you're in, as long as it's right for you. Do you think your family will love you even less if you're not in Gryffindor?"

"Oh my!" Ginny gasped as she realised we were going under the belly of the school itself. It was a strange thing, to go under such a low, black ceiling in a tiny boat that runs itself. We all instinctively lowered our heads, although it wasn't that close at all. I tethered our boat cautiously then put one foot onto the ledge, which meant raising my knee to belly button height. A bit ridiculous. Hagrid, having got off easily (how?), saw me in a pickle with Ginny behind, utterly useless with nerves.

"Err, help?"

"Sure thing." And he swung me effortlessly onto the platform. His beetle black eyes were warm with kindness and, although he towered over us, it was if he was a school boy himself in the books. He was always down he with us, even though it must be snowing up there, with the change of climate to Fahrenheit. I grinned and gave Ginny a hand, we made it up the steps in one piece. Though other pairs weren't so lucky, several of our fellow students would be making their first appearance at the school with torn cloaks and bleeding knees.

Their was a strange silence in the waiting hall as everyone broke down in nerves and, as I always do, I reflected on what Harry and Ron thought when they were in this situation a year ago. That's when I realised, dim as I am, Ginny thinks we've got to fight a dragon or worse to be judged which house we were to be in. Crikey, she was even mouthing all the spells she knew to an imaginary ghoul.

"Ginny." I simply patted her on the arm and she dropped her wand in surprise. "Have you ever read _Hogwarts, A History_?"

"No, was I supposed to?" Her eyes were huge with fright, it was obvious at once why she was ever compared with Dobby.

"No, it clearly states" it doesn't, but she's not going to check. "that first years only need to sit on a stool with a hat on their head to be sorted."

"Oh." She beamed with delight.

"Didn't Harry, Ron or Percy tell you?"

"No, they said it wasn't as bad as Fred and George said but they couldn't tell me what does happen."

"What did Fred and George say?"

"That I had to solve the hardest riddle in the world, defeat a dragon and turn Professor Snape into a hat."

"I'd _love_ to do that!"

"What?"

"No Snape, the perfect Hogwarts. Mind you we'd have to do a double whammy and turn Lockhart into a sponge, and then, perfection."


	5. Hogwarts

**_Thank you for all your comments and reviews!_**

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Chapter 5

The Sorting

I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming. Any moment now I'll wake up in bed at home in my normal muggle village and Mum will shout at me over sleeping. But I wasn't waking up. Another first year bumped into me, ouch. Shouldn't that mean I wasn't dreaming? It could not be possible, at all, whatsoever.

I scrunched my eyes up again and again but I was still walking down the aisle in front of hundreds of students, goggling at us. The house tables stretched the length of the great hall and lit candles floated above them, making the golden goblets, plates and cutlery shine in the shimmering light. The staff table stood before me, coming closer and closer. Each teacher was looking at us, Hagrid kind and friendly, Snape glaring like, well a snake, McGonagall was surveying her future students like a hawk. Lockhart gave us a wink to go with his crystal white teeth and ridiculous aquamarine cloak. Dumbledore gave us the look he often gave Harry, as if he was x-raying you, beaming at me as I caught his eye. We stopped before the infamous black hat sat on its stool, patched and frayed. Everyone beside me looked at it as if it were a time bomb about to explode. And indeed it did, but in song:

Insert fan made Hat song shall take up a month of personal time, yes a month.

Everyone cheered as the hat relaxed again and there were several cries of "We only have to put on the hat!". Ginny tapped my shoulder.

"How come no one else knew?" She whispered but I only tapped my nose mysteriously.

"Now, will the following students please come up and try on the hat, it shall tell us which house you belong to, Abbot, George" Oh my, oh my, oh my, I'll be in the next three people! George was put in Hufflepuff and Allen, Benjamin quickly followed to be placed in Ravenclaw. As I was literally peeing myself Americ, Rachel was the first Slytherin, they really did look a grim lot, and then the inevitable: "Andrews, Megaline."

I walked carefully up the steps to where the stool was. A moment of clumsiness could ruin my academic life forever. The large hat fell right over my eyes and the musty smell made me feel sick.

The hat paused, murmuring incoherently as he shifted through the contents of my brain. What if I wasn't in Gryffindor and Dumbledore said I was no longer fit for what he asked of me? Never mind not being Gryffindor, this hat's inside my brain! I was suddenly scared, what would happen if he realised that I was the only person who knew the future of Harry Potter and about the third letter! I was about to rip the hat off in panic when it shouted,

"Gryffindor!" The table to my far right cheered loudly and I saw Hermione grin, she recognised me from _Flourish and Blotts_. Fred and George cheered louder than the others. Bursting with happiness and relief I sat at my place on the bench, opposite Fred and George. I could trust a hat to keep my secret after all, can't I?

Ginny spun round, her eyebrows knitted together with fierce worry and her teeth clamped tight over her bottom lip. Sugar, now she had even more pressure. I gave her a grin and mouthed 'don't worry' but it was little help. As I sat Autumn, Claire and Bettson, Nicholas went to Gryffindor too. Bailey, Laurence joined Hufflepuff and Clearwater, Lucy to Gryffindor just before:

"Creevey, Colin!" Called Professor McGonagall. A small, quivering boy stepped up bravely and tried the hat on. The boy's poor face turned whiter and whiter as the hat thought.

"Gryffindor!" I joined in with the cheers as the boy grinned and ran to a seat at our table, thankfully, he did remember to take the hat off. The next few people were sorted, trembling nervously when they came up: Cole ... Duncan ... Engles ... Featherstone (the clever girl that had saved those stupid boys) ...Gillingham ... Hearthwood ... Hurrels ... Hyde ... Irksome (no surprises where he went) ... Limson ... Lovegood Luna! After a better look I saw that Luna was perfect, one of my favourite characters and not one mystical white blonde hair different from how the book pictured her, she was so dreamy and off in the clouds it was ... almost like looking in a mirror actually. I noticed she had a dainty little fringe and her hair reached down to her waist, her carrot earrings swung as she danced off to the Ravenclaw table, completely Loony, Luna, but we all love her.

Holly Mising was being sorted ("Gryffindor!") when I noticed Snape leave the room silently. He must have spotted Harry and Ron, which meant they'd just survived landing in the Whomping Willow. I love that scene!

Newt, Matthew, Peters, Helen, Octam, Lucy, and Fiona Reames ("Ravenclaw!") were sorted too when I realised Ginny was visibly shaking with nerves, the first years huddle had shrunk to nearly a dozen people. There were only a few left before her, O'Gilvy, Chase ... Reames, Fiona ... Richmonds, Cale ... Sake, Alex (a rather weedy pale boy with mouse brown hair, could he be the boy Harry and Ron saw through the window?)... twins, Teal, Tammy and Teal, William ... Turner, Lindsay (another Slytherin, by the looks, you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her) ... Wheeler, Nathan ... Violet, Bethany.

"Weasley, Ginny!" Ginny jumped a mile as her name was read out. She gave the sorting hat evils but sat on the stool obediently for ... maybe a second.

"Gryffindor!" Fred, George, Hermione, Percy and I all cheered to the tops of our voices. Ginny was bright scarlet as she joined me on the bench.

"Phew!" She sighed, a little too loudly. The sorting ended with Welsch, Dominic joining the Gryffindors and Yarrels, Harriet to Slytherin. Professor McGonagall took away the sorting hat and scroll and sat down next to Dumbledore rose before his golden eagle lectern and opened his arms to us, as if he were embracing a very close friend.

"Welcome, first years, it is wonderful to see you all are very eager to become part of Hogwarts. To our older students, welcome back! I hope you all had a great summer! Please, eat!"

At his words, and to everyone's astonishment, the golden plates in the middle of the tables were suddenly filled with rich chicken, roast, gravy, peas, nut roast, lasagne, spaghetti, yorkshire puddings, potatoes cooked in every known, carrots, pork chops, lamb chops and so much more. Everyone heaped piles and piles of food onto their plates, I got lasagne and peas, planning to stay safe but before I knew it the delicious food had me eating more and more and more. When I next looked up Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had disappeared.

"Is that your fourth helping?" Asked Ginny as I shoved my fork into a plateful of spaghetti.

"Actually it's only my second helping of spaghetti bolaignaise." I said truthfully.

"We're going to have to roll you to lessons tomorrow at this rate." She tutted.

"You can talk." Ginny herself was piling food onto her plate for the the third time.

"But it tastes so nice!"

"You can say that again!" Conversation was impossible as we shovelled bucketfuls of food in. My mini boiled potatoes were being annoying and I chased them all the way round the plate while trying to spear them. Ginny found it hilarious when two of them escaped onto my skirt. And then Ginny managed to cover her face in bolaignaise after sucking up her pasta. She looked like some insane monster, dripping with red and brown bits.

"Oooh! I have to come to suck your blood." She said and I couldn't stop laughing. I got her a napkin to clean her face but not before Fred and/or George saw.

"You could go and live with the ghoul in the cellar! I'm sure, to him, you are the most beautiful of their kind." Said one, the other whispered in my ear "We only let him out on Halloween."

Seamus Finnigan (not one bit like the actor but I could tell from the Irish accent) came to our group moments later, "Do you guys know where Harry and Ron are?"

"No one's seen them since we were at King's Cross Station." Said a twin. Is there something I need to put right here? Dumbledore doesn't like to make it very obvious does he?

"They can't just have disappeared?" I remember now, when all the Gryffindors came to the common room they all knew Harry and Ron had got in by Flying Car. But how? Well, the rumour's got to be spread somehow.

"Ginny, didn't I tell you? I saw them riding a flying car above the Hogwart's Express." I said quickly, taking a huge risk. Ginny went white when she realised and the twins dropped the sausages they were munching. Seamus's mouth fell open but his eyes widened with amazement and excitement rather than shock. Seamus left the table quickly as he had come and I could tell that very soon half the school would know.

The moment he left the twins breathed out a "WOW!" and Ginny was taken aback with disapproval. She was unfortunately related to her mother, but then so were the twins.

"How come they didn't call us back, eh?" Said one red haired brother.

"It would've been great flying to Hogwarts." Both the twins were disappointed they missed out on this but Ginny was still tutting.

"Why didn't you tell us?" She demanded but it was like my tongue was glued to the top of my mouth, I couldn't answer her for the life of me. At that moment, the twins' excitement dissolved too.

"Ginny's right, Fred."

"Why did you tell Seamus and not us?"

"I don't remember." I replied, innocent as my acting skills would allow. They all glared at me. "Sorry."

"You will be. Dad's going to get sacked."

"And it's all your fault."

The twins stalked off to their friends and Ginny stared at her spaghetti, which promptly disappeared to be replaced with steam puddings and fudge cakes, treacle tarts and other wonderful cakes that would usually have me piling it miles high on my plate but not with Ginny like this. She still hadn't looked up from her empty plate.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought it wouldn't have helped things."

"Why did you tell Seamus?"

"Because he asked." I shrugged, seeming casual about the whole thing.

"Do you not care that my dad will be sacked if the ministry finds out that was _his_ car his _son_ was riding to school?"

"I didn't know."

"You should know better than spurting out gossip you don't know anything about."

"Ginny I'm really sorry, I don't know what came over me. Now, please let me enjoy my treacle fudge and we can continue the argument in the morning, okay?" I begged and she softened a little.

"Fine." And we resumed eating much more than our stomachs would allow. Whilst eating the glorious food, my eyes wandered up to the enchanted ceiling, I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before. It was beautiful, a hundred twinkling stars mirrored the night's sky outside, as if the hall simply opened to the skies. It wasn't long before Dumbledore reappeared, McGonagall in his wake, with the year's announcements.

"Well, I do hope you have enjoyed the banquet this evening. I have a few more notices to give you before you go to your common rooms.

"Mr Filch, our caretaker, has reminded me to alert First years that the Forbidden Forest is so called because it is indeed forbidden. Although this may seem obvious it is apparent that even those of us who have been here a good few years need constant reminding.

"He also told me to inform you that no magic is to be used in the corridors.

"For those of you interested in Quidditch, the trials shall be held in the second week of term, please contact Mrs Hooch.

"And now for the school song!" Most of the staff were rather unenthusiastic to this part of The Sorting but Dumbledore's eyes lit up like a child's when locked in Disney Land overnight.

"Pick your favourite tune and off we go!" Out of his wand came ribbons that twisted and turned to form the lyrics for the song and, to my great amusement, sang the Hogwart's song:

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot._

I'd sung mine to a tune no one would recognise, the Harry Potter film's theme tune. Ginny did hers to the Can Can and finished far before me. Fred and George had finished the first, with a wizard tune faster than Ginny's.

"Splendid, splendid. Sleep well, chop chop."

"First years, this way!" Called Percy with pride, his prefect badge shining in the candle light.

We all left our tables to flock around him, he could push his way past to get to the door. We chattered excitedly as he led us up the stairs to the main stairwell. I could see into so many classrooms from here, the walls facing us where all windows. It was the well with walled by classrooms and with staircases spiralling to the top. The staircases across frequently changed which scared me to death. Out of bed at night, probably with the stolen invisibility cloak over my head and Marauder's map in my hand, wand pointed cms from my nose, I was going to fall to my death. Not just that, but I hadn't yet memorised the many trick steps that were common in this well, this just might be my downfall.

When Percy had led us across the stairwell we went up a flight of stairs which were on the side of well, through a trick door, along a corridor and under a tapestry. I came to a conclusion, it would take me a week to get to each class. Back home I had got lost in our one storey tiny primary school, never mind a castle larger than the Eiffel Tower.

I couldn't stop staring at the moving pictures covering the walls. Wherever there was a spare inch, you could see an old picture, all moving by their own accord. A few of them greeted us, glad to see some new faces at Hogwarts.

"Look." Ginny pointed to one of a man flying across the night's sky, above London as if on broomstick. But he appeared to be unsupported, as if it was invisible.

"Isn't that queer?" I know at once that he sat upon a thestral but, I wondered, could people who had seen death could see pictures of thestrals, I'd always wanted to see one, I found them most enchanting and beautiful. I'd never know if they looked like the ones in the film back home.

When we had got our ourselves dizzy going round corridors, up narrow flights of steps and down yet another corridor full of moving pictures, I spotted what could be the last stairwell. It led to a long corridor, windows at either end, one overlooked the grounds, the other the infamous well of moving staircases. Before us was an oil painting of a very fat lady in a pink silk gown she had long gloves that matched and looked nothing like Dawn French.

"Password?" She asked, with an accent that could almost be passed as French.

"Wattlebird." Said Percy and we all watched with awe as the portrait swung forwards to reveal a circular hole in the wall, about the height of a four-year-old. We all scrambled through after Percy to find a comfy, homely room with squashy armchairs and a roaring fire. The rest of Gryffindor were already there and Ginny pulled me by the arm to join her brothers in wizard's chess.

"Hey Meg, Ginny." I blinked once as they both muttered our names.

"No one knows it was dad's car, nothing to worry about." The first whispered and I grinned.

The whole room was abuzz with rumours of Harry and Ron. Everyone was staying up to wait for them to arrive. I noticed Hermione leave through the portrait hole, she was probably searching for Professor McGonagall to ask if the rumours were true. But if that was why, why does she come back to Gryffindor tower and bump into them, not knowing if they had arrived by flying car? I wouldn't be surprised if it was because she wanted Lockhart's autograph.

Ginny destroyed my pieces with wizard chess several times over before Harry and Ron's faces appeared at the portrait hole. Everyone ran over to greet them and pushed their hands through the hole to pull their heroes through. Poor Hermione was left to scramble through by herself as the other Gryffindors patted them on the back and called words of awe.

"Why couldn't you have called us back, eh?" Said Fred and George.

Hermione and Percy were scowling over the crowd of first years all trying to get a better look when Harry and Ron pulled from the crowd, insisting they were tired.

"Come on, Ginny. Nothing more to see." I said, trying to pull her away but she held her ground as if Harry could potter (lol!) back any moment. "It's late. I'm tired and going to bed. You can stay here if you want to." I said in a slow patronising tone.

"Alright, alright." We climbed up the spiral staircase with our legs like lead and our eyes drooping. We chose the two at the end, closest to the window and I was just about to go to sleep when...

"Lumos." Whispered Ginny igniting her wand and pulling out an old, shabby black book. Riddle's diary.

"What are you doing?" I asked as she dipped her quill. Everyone else in the dormitory was fast asleep and she was writing to Riddle, if only she knew.

"Writing a diary, don't you?" She said simply.

"Nope, could never remember to write in it every night. Isn't there anything magic that witch's diaries do?" I asked hesitantly, maybe she could tell me all about Tom.

"Well, this one I found is enchanted to act like an agony aunt. It gives me advice." She said and showed me all the pages were blank.

"Cool. See you in the morning." I muttered, surprised she'd ever thought of it that way, and turned over where she couldn't see me. I had to lie on my fingers to stop myself pulling the filth from her hands.


	6. A Silver Matchstick

_**I really enjoyed writing this chapter :)**_

_**I noticed that no one **_**properly_ gets lost in Hogwarts so Ginny and Meg just had to_**

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Chapter 6

A Silver Matchstick

Ginny and I woke the next morning yawning and rubbing sleep from our eyes. Ginny was very tired, having stayed up half the night with her diary.

"'Morning!" She said, mid yawn.

"Good morning, sleep well?" She nodded in response, her eyes watering after a yawn that pulled her mouth large enough to drive a car in.

We both dressed into our uniform as Claire, Katharine and Holly simply refused to get out of bed.

"Guys!" I shouted at them as they groaned. "Do you want to be late to your first lesson?" They groaned again and started to slowly, ever so slowly pull their covers off.

"Come on, I'm hungry." Ginny pulled at my cloak and we left the lazybones to get up by themselves.

Downstairs the common room was almost silent. It was simply somewhere to pass through in the mornings. Ginny rushed immediately to the portrait hole but I pulled her back.

"Do you remember the way back to the Great Hall?" I asked.

"We'll ask someone." Said Ginny and attempted again to pull me through the portrait hole. I gave in and we both scrambled out of the hole and onto the cold flagstone floor. We knew we were rather high up so, using logic and common sense, we went down every flight of steps we saw, for about half an hour.

"This can't be right." I said, the corridors were darker now, like the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was and we hadn't seen another student since four flights back.

"There's the main stairwell with the moving staircases we saw last night." She peered through a large pane of glass at one end of the corridor. "But how do we get there." I bit my lip and led the way using some lucky guesswork. We climbed up two flights of stairs, walked through a door pretending to be a wall, walked the length of a corridor and came to a rather old, large and regal looking door.

Ginny turned the knob a few times, pushed and pulled but it wouldn't move. Luckily I remembered a passage from _Philosopher's Stone,_ some doors will only let you through if you ask very nicely or tickle them in just the right place.

"Could you please let us through? We'd be grateful." And Ginny gave me a look as if I was hopping mad (which I probably am) but it did open.

"Great Merlin!" Exclaimed Ginny as we stepped out to the familiar stair well from last night. We were on one of the lower platforms and we could see many other students much higher than us. Ginny pointed her hand to two doors opened fully and about three times the size of us. These doors were two flights up from us, and where everyone else was headed.

"Do you think that leads to the Great Hall?"

"Let's see." And we ran up stairs to our right, which turned slightly to the left with the curvature of the well, we spun to the left just in time to catch a moving staircase across the well. One long staircase around the tower and we were there.

Panting and exhausted we slumped by the huge doors as the other three Hogwarts girls came along behind us to stare in awe.

"We only left the common room five minutes ago." Said Holly in disbelief.

"How did you get here?" I questioned and they all gave me a patronising look as if it was the obvious thing in the world.

"We waited and then followed Percy." Replied Katherine.

"Ah." Ginny turned slightly pink at the ears when she realised how stupid we'd been. Claire rolled her eyes and we all walked into the hall together, talking excitedly about the lessons today.

"You'd better still be hungry." I whispered in Ginny's ear as we sat down.

"Starving!" She bellowed and we sat down opposite Fred and George. We helped ourselves to large amounts of bacon and eggs with toast and butter, I hadn't had a breakfast like this since I last stayed in a hotel.

I was distracted from my bacon sandwich by loud calls from owls. The enchanted ceiling could barely be seen, a flurry of brown, grey and white feathers covered it completely. I had to remind myself again and again that this is Hogwarts and completely normal. But then what looked like a grey mop landed heavily on the table, upsetting crockery and heavenly food this way and that.

"Oh no-" A red haired boy a few seats away gasped in fight at the bird but a witch opposite him poked the owl with her finger.

"It's alright, he's still alive." Merlin's beard, without realising it, we'd sat two seats away from the most famous people in the school. Especially since they flew a car to school.

"What's a howler?" Asked Harry as his classmates discussed the red envelope. But he got his reply alright.

"_...STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW THE CAR HAD GONE! WHEN WE HAD THE LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD HAVE DIED. I AM ABSOLOUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."_

Poor Ron sat staring at the black ashes remaining from the red howler, his face as red as his hair. Ginny, Fred and George were among the few that laughed and then the bubble of talk returned again.

"Ginny what are our first lessons?" I asked casually and she realised, at the same time as me, that our hands were completely empty, we had come down to breakfast with nothing.

"Oh no," Ginny said, frustrated. "Fred," She said this still looking down, she had a method of saying a name and seeing which one would answer. Which does work, until they realise and pretend to be each other. Again.

"Yeah."

"Could you _please_ walk us back to Gryffindor tower?" Begged Ginny and we both made puppy dog eyes while the boys crossed their arms.

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" I begged.

"Alright then." They said in unison and we left the house table, with plenty of time to find the portrait hole. Fred and George led the way while Ginny and I lagged behind slightly, saying aloud every landmark and turning.

"Straight across the stairwell," Ginny chanted as we caught a changing staircase.

"upwards to the left."

"Down the corridor,"

"under the tapestry on the left."

"Up the rickety stairs,"

"mind the trick step!"

"Left and past the Suit of Armour,"

"right and through the hidden door."

"Upwards to the left,"

"and straight across the main stairwell."

"Left round the corner,"

"right up the stairs."

"Left down the corridor,"

"up the final steps!"

"Does anyone remember what the password is?"

"Wattlebird." Said the twins and we finally came through the porthole.

"Do you think we'll remember that?" I asked Ginny while we ran up the stairs to fetch our books.

"Never." She was confident about that. We found out our first lesson was Transfiguration followed by Defence Against The Dark Arts.

We stormed back down the stairs, hoping we could get Fred and George to guide us again but they'd already gone.

Miserably, we stepped out onto the corridor and tried to retrace our steps, at least to the main stairwell. We did manage it in the end, our directions weren't so catchy backwards, Ginny did try walking backwards which err, didn't work.

"Ginny, Meg! What are you doing up there?!" Shouted Claire from two flights below us. She had managed to spot us in the crowd and I could now see where our classroom was. But getting to it was always a different matter.

"We're coming!" I shouted back and we took a changing staircase downwards and across the well and climbed a few flights down. This turned us round the other way so we were on the wrong end for our classroom but the right floor. Our classmates all chipped in, shouting frantically at us ("you should take one up there and _then_ down") which was totally useless as they were all shouting different directions. The boys in particular were being especially useless ("Just jump, we'll catch you") so Ginny and I tackled the stairs on our own. We rushed through crowd after crowd, climbing upstairs, roundstairs, downstairs, anystairs and, as if by magic, finally made it to the classroom where our cheering classmates were waiting.

Unfortunately this had taken so long that our class was the only one still in the corridor and not only that, but Professor McGonagall was among the crowd waiting for us to arrive.

"Finally Miss Andrews, Miss Weasley. I'm sure we can transfigure you a map for tomorrow." She said hastily, not noticing when Ginny and I started begging her for such a thing.

We walked into McGonagall's classroom silently and sat down in the spacious classroom. There were very few differences between this classroom and my old ones at home, I noticed. The stone walls held moving pictures of famous witches and wizards transforming objects and of Animagi which hovered between their human and animal states. The room was furbished with wooden, low desks and wooden chairs. There was a blackboard at the front and the windows were cut into the stone with plain black curtains.

I liked the wood and stone old fashioned feel of the castle, it felt like home.

Ginny and I sat down on a desk together and pulled books onto our table in front of us.

"Today we shall be studying the basics of Transfiguration. Please turn to page 8." We all turned the pages in our Beginner's Guide and, after a lot of boring notes, Professor McGonagall handed out a matchstick to each pupil. The task was simple: transfigure the matchstick into a needle.

Professor McGonagall pointed her wand at the matchstick and it became a needle in an instant.

She left us to get on with the task and everyone frantically pointed their wands at their matchsticks. Many of the students appeared to be having a staring competition with their matchstick but Tammy, William's twin, from Ravenclaw looked positively terrified of hers.

"Help?" She asked her brother and he rolled his eyes.

"You're the one in Ravenclaw..." he started but helped her without hesitation. It was funny how similar the twins were, Tammy had brown straight hair, a fringe, tiny plaits and blue eyes. Will had exactly the same eyes and his long, for a boy, floppy brown hair hung over his eyes.

Ginny gave her matchstick a look of annoyance, as it was definitely every bit still a matchstick. "Oh, come on! Is it really that hard to change into a needle!" There she goes again, blaming inanimate objects. Typical. "Have you managed yet?"

"I've only tried once. Nothing happened."

"Try again, we can't be expected to get it on the first try. Hell, I wouldn't get it on the millionth." I grinned and pointed my wand at the matchstick.

I pointed my wand at the match and thought fiercely of a needle. "See, nothing." It was still unmistakably a matchstick.

"No, watch." Ginny said in awe and I glanced back. The matchstick, slowly but surely, was becoming smoother and shinier. It chiselled itself a blunt point but stopped there. "Try again!"

And again the matchstick grew shinier and shinier, a fine silver paint hung over the matchstick but one end was still red and the matchstick was still made of wood. By the end of the lesson I'd almost done it. At first it looked like a needle, shiny, silver, point at one end, eye at the other. But if you looked closer it was, well, a wooden needle. But close enough, right?

"Won't you look at this, children. Miss Andrew here has done very well indeed." Professor McGonagall held up my wooden needle for everyone to see. They all gasped in awe, no one else had even managed to make it shine. "I think this deserves 50 house points, don't you?"

Ginny and I looked delighted at the thought. 50 points on our first day! We both left the class with high spirits, abuzz once more with chatter.

"How did you do that?" Ginny asked, still agog with wonder.

"I don't know. I've never been good at anything, I couldn't possibly have a talent for _'the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts'"_ I said the last bit as an impression of McGonagall but Ginny didn't laugh, she just stared.

"McGonagall never said that." Oops, I'd quoted from Harry's first day, not ours.

"She said it to me earlier." I said quickly, in attempt to clear things up.

"Oh." Ginny looked slightly blank but dismissed it.

Defence Against The Dark Arts was deadly dull. Lockhart looked like someone straight from a _colgate_ advert and indeed had moving photos of himself up on every inch of the walls. He wore lilac robes that day and set us all the same test on his books that had been set to the second years. As I'd read the books a good few times and knew the answers to three of the questions anyway, he mentioned them in Harry's lesson, it was a relatively easy task. My memory to recall extracts from books had been perfected over years of committing books to memory.

I completed all 54 questions in half an hour and sat there reading the first book to hand as everyone else finished their papers.

"Hello Miss..."

"Andrews." I didn't even look up as he addressed me.

"So, Miss Andrews. May I have a look?" I nodded once and he flicked through.

"Would everyone hand in their papers please." Lockhart occupied himself at the desk while we all chattered. I heard a few people had not written a single correct answer, simply guesses or jokes. But, glancing over at the desk, I saw Lockhart was marking every paper against one single paper. My own. I flushed slightly then turned to Ginny who was going on and on nonsensically about a particularly hard question to a Hufflepuff.

Lockhart announced the questions we'd all got disastrously wrong and announced that I had received full marks, awarding 10 points to Gryffindor. For some reason he didn't release the pixies on us. Instead he told us to keep reading and that next lesson we would be analysing his books. Fun. Well at least I got to skip the pixie episode.

Ginny nudged me as we walked back to the Great Hall for lunch (safely led there by Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs). "How did-?"

"Got bored, nothing else to read. Had to spend half the summer at Diagon Alley remember?"

"Yes, but to commit that all to memory you must be really clever. How did you do in muggle school?"

"Terrible. I might have been a good student if I worked and paid attention but I always felt the need to stick my head in the clouds. You know me, always dreaming." But I noticed something the same time that Ginny did.

"Actually I never have seen you go all day dreamy. You're always paying attention, talking to me, pulling funny faces." It was true.

"Maybe I no longer need the dreams." I didn't at all. I was living them.

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_**BTW: Meg isn't really that clever. She just has a nack for spells (natural) and memorising (practice).**_

_**Plus she still will daydream a bit but nowhere near as much as she used to.**_

_**What I mean at the ed is that she feels like she's happy enough to not have to create an imaginary world.**_

_**Thank you as always for being amazing peeps and reading this!**_


	7. A Dismal Saturday

_**Another chapter. I have now reached 19,689 words, that's 106357 characters and crud I only starting writing two weeks ago!!! :) I think this is easily the longest story I have ever written. Plus I'm determined to finish it, at least to the end of Meg's first year. Enjoy the chapter, bit err...dismal this one.**_

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Chapter 7

A Dismal Saturday

_Ange,_

_Sorry I abandoned you for the last few weeks. I needed to get out._

_It's great here, so magical and unbelievable. I'm good friends with Ginny and I have Transfiguration and Herbology with the Ravenclaws, but I'm too shy to talk to Luna. I'll talk to her next week. This castle is mad, Ginny and I end up taking half the lesson just getting there! You'd love it though. _

_I don't know if I'll be back for Christmas, is mum still mad? Tell them I'm sorry and I love them. They're quite welcome to send a letter with Wulfric, so are you._

_Don't worry about me, I'm living my dream!_

_I love you all, Meg x_

It was almost 6.00 am on a Saturday morning in the Gryffindor common room. My weary eyes turned to the large pile of scrunched up parchment. I'd woken up at 3.00 and never managed to get back to sleep again. Writing a letter to Angie seemed like a good idea at the time. I yawned loudly and picked up the letter. Half asleep I climbed through the porthole and was halfway to the main well when I realised I still had my pyjamas on. Oh well, I thought, no one was going to see me.

The corridor before the changing staircases I saw a shadow on the floor. Whoever was casting it stood just round the corner, and walking straight for me. I immediately cringed against the wall, my eyes shut tight and my mouth clamped shut. Which was stupid, I was seconds away from the landing halfway down the main well, but don't expect someone like me to be rational. The figure came closer, _step, step, step_ and I made myself small as possible, I'd stopped breathing long ago _step, step, step_ they walked straight past me. Hardly daring to believe it I opened my eyes cautiously and looked to my left. A girl stood in the doorway, her back turned, long flowing blonde hair down her back, she wore a cotton blue nightdress and purple converses up to her knees. Luna was sleep walking.

She took a few steps forward and I ran forward laughing as she entered the well of the changing staircases. It's a miracle she ever made it through Hogwarts. I turned her around gently, talking to her in a kind, slightly patronising voice.

Once she was in the corridor I closed the heavy doors behind me so she wouldn't wander off again, typical Luna. I took staircases across and along the well, making for the outside grounds. It was so much simpler to find my way round Hogwarts now, Ginny and I could now get to and from the Great Hall and the Gryffindor tower but with each new classroom came a new challenge. I walked out the large main doors and round the side of the great castle. I stole past the greenhouses and the the Whomping Willow (had a good chuckle when I spotted that every branch was in a sling), past Hagrid's hut.

The owlery was in a dismal circular, stone hut. Many holes were in the walls which may once have windows. It smelled horrible and was covered with owl droppings from the inside out. And, of course, there were the owls. Shelves upon shelves of owls, their feathery plumage ranging from reddy brown to snowy white and their size from a baby smaller than my fist to a whopping great big bird that would have no trouble carrying a baby elephant. Wulfric chirped happily at me from...maybe three times my height. He flew gracefully from his perch to my shoulder.

"Hey Wulfric. You alright? They haven't been picking on you have they?" I gazed at at him fondly and he chirped happily again. I could just imagine the owlery drama in here when no one's looking, my poor little owl would be pretty far down the pecking line. I fed him some saved left overs from my pocket (don't make a face, I put them in a plastic bag first (I supplied said bag, wizardkind have never heard of plastic before)).

"Good morning, Miss Andrews. I thought I might find you here." I spun around in a heartbeat and saw Dumbledore (gulp) in the doorway.

"Good morning sir."

"I trust you are well?" I nodded my head, "I have a few matters to discuss and I think they shall be best with a good mug of hot chocolate."

"What are they?"

"All in good time. Are you sending a letter to your parents?"

"No, to my friend, Angie."

"I see, well you might want to keep a hold of that letter until after such matters are discussed. It is up to you of course how much you tell them."

I said goodbye to Wulfric, slipped the letter into my cloak and followed Dumbledore through the castle to where the two gargoyles stood which guarded his chambers.

"Licorice all sorts." Trust Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's office was...well...magnificent. It was full of twinkling objects, all with fascinating uses. The past headmasters and mistresses slept in the frames, vacant as ever. The pensive sat in a corner next to many other interesting objects. Everything sparkled with glee, like the twinkle in the headmaster's eye and the joy in his childish grin. He was a spitting image of Richard Harris, oh, I wish he was still with us for the other films. It just wasn't the same with Michael Gambon, he made Dumbledore far too strict and angry all the time. He was also very short, things like that annoy me.

"Cocoa?" He gestured to the table in front of me and I noticed a steaming mug of hot chocolate with a thick squirty cream foam sat there. I took a sip and felt the warm liquid happiness down to my stomach. I swear chocolate, in all forms, was a hundred times more delicious in the wizarding world. Hence Claire Autumn, Gryffindor, was counting the days until we could go to Hogsmeade for the weekend.

"Thank you." I said, smiling. He gestured to his own lip and I wiped my upper lip with my sleeve, covering it with squirty cream.

"How are you finding Hogwarts?"

"Perfect. I keep thinking I'll wake up any time soon. Every morning I thank my lucky stars I'm still here!"

"Good, good. I assure though, that this is not a dream and as real as the world of muggles. Well, your world of muggles in fact does not exist to us but the wizarding world does." I'm confused dot com.

"Huh?"

"Think of it as two parallel worlds, well there are many, but only think of two. One is the world where everything make believe is just that, make believe, your world. Often nick named _The World of Make Believe._ Where magic and monsters only exist in the imagination. But when a powerful imagination in your world creates, it creates a parallel world. In this world most things are the same but the book or film was never created, the author never thought of such an idea. But the idea is real. And all other books and films remain as they always have been.

"In our world Harry Potter and Hogwarts is real, and in your world they were written by a single mother struggling to juggle teaching, writing and looking after her little daughter. But her mere imagination was strong enough to create everything you see before you. But went wrong. There are gaps in the storyline that she never thought through. My plan, when I discovered this, was always to find a student who could put it right. When I thought of using a student from _The World of Make Believe_ I performed enchantments that were necessary to keep connections with your family and to get you here in the first place. When you decided to commit yourself to me, when you left your family, you passed seamlessly from one world to the next. When you go back home and we both wish it so, you shall pass through again, your owl too can pass between the two with a simple thought. The idea seemed perfect."

"You've planned my whole life?" I never agreed to this?! I thought _I_ was in control of my life. Apparently not.

"Not quite, Megaline. I am sorry, but we did play God with our plans, got too carried away."

"Who else knows?"

"Myself, you, Professors Snape, Trelawney, McGonagall and Cornelius Fudge."

"Wow." Wow you're a git.

"I am sorry to land this bombshell on you in your first week. I am sorry it ever had to happen. I do understand if you think us unjust to have done this."

"Good, I do." My fist came to the table with anger.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Dumbledore gazed sadly at me over his half moon spectacles, I couldn't bear it anymore.

"I'm going." I said rudely and slammed the door behind me, smashing the mug on the floor in my wake. I ran down the spiral staircase, thoughts buzzing through my head. Admittedly, my muggle life had been lame, but it had been mine, and I didn't even have that now. Born to save a stranger. Who would do that to a kid? I never thought Dumbledore would. I suppose they had great fun making up my life, its probably destined to end in death. Okay, everyone's life ends in death but I mean an early one. Probably blocking Harry Potter from the killing curse. I wiped a tear from my cheek as I ran up the stairs. By the time I was back in bed I was shaking with tears. Who would have thought? Dumbledore the life destroyer. To think I once idolised him.

"Meg, Meg wake up, it's morning." Said Ginny, yawning. I coughed twice, like pulling a sword through my throat. "You ok?"

"Morning." I said hoarsely through more tears. Ginny walked round the bed to my face and placed a small, cold hand to my clammy forehead.

"You gotta go to Madame Pomfrey, you're burning up."

"Don't want..." I said vaguely, turning over again. "Please leave me alone."

"Ok, you get well soon, alright?" It sounded more like a command than reassurance, she ruffled my hair and skipped out the door. I buried myself under the covers and forgot about the world, all of them.

I shifted the cold pebble from one hand to the other, deciding how to throw it. I'd never been able to skim stones, it was the sort of trick I left to my brothers. What was the point of ever trying at anything when I stood next to them? I knew what I was good at now, finally. But I didn't know if I ever wanted to use a wand again. Ginny was in the castle somewhere, probably talking to her brothers. It was unseasonally chilly outside and I still had a hacking cough but the lake calmed me. Which is strange no matter how you look at it, considering that I grew up far away from the sea and I, better than anyone, knew exactly what was in that lake. I marvelled at the waves and the colours, the way each wave flowed to another and the waves had shining foam at the peak. Like it had its own little magic. Which, I reminded myself, it probably did, for one it had a tide and waves which is highly unusual of a lake.

I was starving in the afternoon, bending over my aching tummy. I collapsed into coughing fits for no reason and nose ran from the cold. But I fought the temptation to go back to the castle again and again. I pulled from my (magically enlarged) pocket one of my Harry Potters. I was rereading them for for the billion and millionth time, I could almost recite them all word for word now. But it became more and more crucial I knew the second book parrot fashion. Of course, I would still do exactly what Dumbledore instructed me, I cared too much about everyone in Hogwarts. But maybe I could edit things, it made me shiver to think of Ginny in Riddle's grasp. I would take her place but then the Weasleys wouldn't be so devastated, Harry and Ron wouldn't go to the chamber for me, I die, Riddle comes to power and Voldemort returns to power three years early. I threw a rock into the lake with frustration, there was nothing I could do without activating the Butterfly Effect. I never really liked butterflies, pesky little things.

I lay before the lake hours after the sun went down, still reading by wandlight. I finished the second book there and then, shuddering when Ginny was taken. It seemed so real, in a matter of months it _would be real_. What made me ever agree to this? Did I never think of Ginny?

I heard a shuffling of feet and panting that made me hold my breath with shock. Three, no six pairs of feet and a seventh pair, heavier and stronger than the rest, were walking across the dark forest floor.

"Meg!" They shouted. "Meg!" Speak of the devil. I closed my book with slight annoyance and sat cross legged, waiting for them to find me.

"Where are you!"

"Meg!"

"Meg!"

As they called I broke into another coughing fit, I didn't stop myself, I wanted to be found.

"Meg! Is that you!" A pair of feet that I was certain belonged to Ginny led the others to where I lay, having moved my position from my coughing. Six witches and wizards gathered round my head, all holding lit wands, Hagrid blundered behind, a moment behind the others. My own was on the floor, the wand tip still alight. The faces above me were all contort with concern, there was who I had expected, Fred, George and Ginny but it amazed me to see Hermione, Harry and Ron. Harry's foot was inches from me, what any girl wouldn't give for this moment. But I wasn't quite in the state to be ecstatic just now.

"Why were you out here? You had us really worried." Said Ginny, feeling my forehead again.

"Hi, Ginny." I said, almost inaudibly from my sore throat.

"How can someone so clever-"

"be so stupid?" Asked the twins in bewilderment.

"I manage." I chuckled.

"We gotta get her to the hospital wing." It was a boy's voice, either Ron or Harry as they were slightly out of view.

"I'll carry 'er." Hagrid lifted me effortlessly from the forest floor and proceeded to the castle, Ginny, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione and Harry Potter in tow.

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_**Please review!**_

_**I would be very grateful if someone could give me some constructive criticism, and 'write more!' does not count!**_

_**Love you all, thanks for reading  
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	8. How To Charm A Slytherin

_Chapter 8  
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_How To Charm A Slytherin_

The next day I was straight back to lessons as normal. Madame Pomfrey cured my coughs and sneezes in a jiffy and sent me on my way. I took the same medicine that Madame Pomfrey offers in Winter, so I went a whole Sunday with steam pouring out from my ears. Ginny found this hilarious. Everyone was so protective on Monday, like I was a glass doll that could shatter at any moment it annoyed me like mad. But I don't think I'll ever be annoyed from Harry's shy "You ok, Meg?" or "Alright there?" he actually cared about me. It was bizarre, but I wasn't complaining.

"Do you fancy him?" Ginny asked at lunch, gesturing towards Harry.

"Err...I'm not sure." Trust me to get in the way of Harry and Ginny, I'd never thought of it! "I don't think so."

"Sure?" She looked slightly worried at the thought.

"Certain." Ginny half smiled in spite of herself.

"Hey, aren't I allowed to fancy who I want?" I asked, offended.

"It's just..." Ginny's eyes glided down to her shoes and her forehead turned bright red. "I fancy him." She said, a little ashamed and very quietly.

"Really?! I'd never have guessed!" I gasped with sarcasm and she pouted. "Come on, we're gonna be late for Charms." I said quickly, swinging my bag over my shoulder, but I was always too cautious with Ginny. She's only feisty and forever picking cat fights after her third year, but it was better safe than sorry.

Ginny ducked under the huge table to join me on the other side and we headed to our lesson together. We had Charms with the Slytherins so I was never that fond of it. But Professor Flitwick really amused me and Ginny and I always found the coolest things to do with bewitched quills and what not. When we learnt _'Wingardium Leviosa'_ I flew my feather's sharp end up a Slytherin's nose. All the Gryffindors said it was worth the 5 deducted points.

"Today we shall learn the _'Locomoter charm'._ Please place your quill on the table." They was a lot of rustling as people took their quills out of their bags "Say the words very clearly '_Mobiliarbus'."_ He flicked his wand with care and guided the feather quill across his desk. "Now you try." Everyone whipped out their wands in an instant and tried the spell for themselves.

"Mobiliarbus." Said Ginny and her quill quivered but made no sign to move. "Let's see what Miss Genius can do, shall we?" She asked, a little tiresome of my nack for spells.

"Mobiliarbus." Many of the Gryffindors and even the nearby Slytherins turned when they heard me try the incantation. My quill slid round the table smoothly, like in a breeze. It was too easy an exercise. I earned another 5 points for Gryffindor but the novelty was wearing off now. I thought I'd at least be normal here. Huh, me, normal.

"What am I doing wrong?" Asked Ginny and I kindly corrected her wand hold and posture. After she had the wrist movement and incantation her quill too spun in circles round the desk. After 'quill wars' between the two of us with whose quill could stay standing the longest while trying to push the other over we got slightly bored. And then very.

"Professor Flitwick, could you teach us how to make our quills write by themselves please?" I asked politely as the tiny little man walked past my desk.

"I'm sure I could Miss Andrews. Now you..." Ginny and I listened very intently as he explained how to do it and gave us piles of spare parchment. "There's a good 30 minutes left to the lesson. You'll get it in that time I'm sure." This spell was very complicated and at least a year above our level. As a beginner you had to do what you wished the quill to do with your own wand. So Ginny found the entire exercise pointless.

"Makes me look like a muggle, sitting next to you." Ginny muttered as I wrote my name illegibly over and over again. All Ginny had managed was a faint little squiggle. I had almost finished the parchment when the class left, as it was the end of the day. But I still wanted to finish my parchment.

"Come on Meg, please let's go." She was never patient.

"Gimme a second."

"Oh." There was a smash beside me as someone dropped something. We both turned to the only girl left in the room (even Flitwick had left), a Slytherin. She had curious green eyes and immaculately blonde hair, the same shade as mine but a million times prettier. She looked uncomfortable in her uniform, as if she didn't fit in here and was staring at her ink pot which had just smashed on the floor. Ginny, bless her, picked up the shattered remains and patted the girl on the back.

"Are you ok?" The Slytherin appeared not to have heard Ginny's question. She left the classroom without a word.

"That was strange." I said absently.

"That was Lindsay, I saw her all by herself on Saturday I don't think she has any friends."

"That's sad."

"She's a Slytherin, she'll manage." But I still worried about the girl with the green eyes. I just wish I could talk to her. I wish I knew what made her so quiet.

Tuesday was completely ordinary, for Hogwarts, and Wednesday too. But they both brought more Transfiguration lessons, which proved to be my favourite as it was always challenging. Our next lesson with the Slytherins was Defence Against the Dark Arts, a terribly dull subject where our teacher humiliated himself by pretending to be courageous. A few Gryffindor girls, including Ginny, and maybe one Slytherin girl actually idolised and hung onto his every word. The rest of us either laughed at him or were wishing that Professor Binns took the lesson. Now that's saying something.

I sat with Ginny at the back of the classroom, so I didn't have to put too much energy in pretending to listen. Lindsay, poor thing, sat alone at a table for two, just one seat away. As Lockhart started his ridiculous re-enactments I poked Lindsay and gestured for her to sit next to me. She took the invitation without hesitation and even Ginny pulled her eyes away from Lockhart to talk to Lindsay.

"What was up on Monday?" I asked gently as she gazed down at her knees.

"The same that's up every day." She sounded almost angry as she said this, I felt as though she wasn't really shy at all, merely friendless.

"What's that?" Asked Ginny from behind me and Lindsay bit her lip, wondering her to tell us this one.

"I just...It's complicated."

"I'm sure we can keep up." I said quickly and she half smiled, ok maybe quarter smiled, whatever that is.

"Bit homesick I guess." Ginny and I exchanged a look of concern as the poor girl placed her head in her hands. We'd leave it at that today, we had billions of Charms and DADA lessons to talk to her.

After lunch was Potions. The first week of the lesson I'd had quite enough already thank you but there was always more that they could bore us with. We were covering potions for cures which were difficult and dull. Although I may be a dab hand with a wand I was pathetic with a cauldron.

"This is useless." I said, depressed as mouldy green soup oozed over the sides.

"It smells like rotten eggs." Ginny accidentally on purpose broke her cauldron so we could work together, but we had to have Professor McGonagall sign a piece of Parchment to say we would be good girls before Snape allowed this to happen. Getting the signature had been no problem, all the teachers in on my secret were overly kind, but I could never think of them the same way I would if I never knew. I still avoided Dumbledore and I doubted I would talk to him again any time soon. The thoughts still play on my mind every night, I still hated it.

"And burnt toast." I said, a little vacantly.

"Sounds like my brother's cooking."

"Which one?"

"Any." We both chuckled and confessed that this would not heal the mildest acne, never mind boils the size of planets the potion was usually commended for. We tipped out our horrendous mixture and started again but, as Snape was at the other end of the room, we practised a few charms by making ingredients fly into the cauldron ('Wingardium Leviosa') and stirring the spoon the same way Flitwick had taught us to write our names. Ginny slouched against her desk and made the circular movements with her wand again and again. I copied her to double the strength and we chattered happily until someone had to poke their long, greasy nose in.

"What are you doing?" Asked Snape and, to my surprise, Ginny still stirred with her wand as if she'd never heard him. "This is a potions lesson, is it not? You shall not show off by doing show tricks other teachers have taught you, is that quite clear? Or am I speaking in gibberish?" I elbowed Ginny in the ribs and she lost concentration, causing the cauldron to tip over.

"Scarpendium." The floor was shiny and clean immediately. Ginny raised an eyebrow in surprise as I turned to Snape. "Sorry about that, is there something we can do to help you?" He turned red with anger as I faked innocence. But he grated his teeth and walked back to the front of the room while Ginny and I did our secret handshake behind our backs.

I yawned loudly as we walked back to the common room. Ginny and I had very heavy feet and weary eyes from the long day, it wasn't even dinnertime yet.

"Do we have to do the History of Magic essay?" Ginny groaned as we stumbled through the porthole.

"It's our first piece, it'd be a shame to mess up so early." I always had to be the sensible one, right?

"I guess. But do you have even the slightest inkling of what Umeric the Oddball did to revolutionise wizardkind?"

"I didn't even know he did."

"How did you write essays in muggle school?" Pondered Ginny as she chewed the end of her quill, a habit of hers. It was a miracle she didn't cough up feather balls the whole time.

"With a laptop, a cup of cocoa and a web page for google, a muggle's best friend."

"What's goggle?"

"Search engine, it's like using a summoning charm, a bit. Helps you find things."

"Why's it called goggle?"

"God knows."

We wrote our essays in silence at the very back of the common room, the atmosphere very occasionally broken by the turned of a page or the laughter of a classmate. I peered at Ginny's parchment every so often, but she was just as far as I was, writing at a snail's pace.

"I think that's enough." Claimed Ginny after an hour's hard work. I pulled out a tape measure and, thank goodness, we both managed two feet required.

"I'm starving, let's go." Ginny and I wandered down to the Great Hall, relying on our pathetic memories as everyone else was long gone. Bad idea.

"I think we go this way..." Said Ginny but I didn't recognise the turning, neither did she by the sounds.

"No, well let's just keep going down again and see where that gets us." So, deciding that was better than nothing, with our tummies rumbling, we ran down stairs after stairs after stairs.

"If all else fails we can always follow a Slytherin to the Great Hall."

"Why would a Slytherin be down here?"

"Because their common room is."

"How do you know that?" Ginny stopped in her tracks, a suspicious look on her face.

"I..." am extremely stupid sometimes. "What's that noise?" Ginny and I both turned our heads to hear it. They were almost like laughter, but no one sniffs or wails when they laugh. We walked towards the sound and Ginny opened the creaky door for the girl's toilets. Odd, this couldn't be Myrtle's Bathroom? The sobs carried on, no one else was there and the girl crying hadn't heard us, there was no sign of Myrtle, thank goodness.

"Are you alright in there?" I asked kindly to the door the girl appeared to be behind.

"Go away." She cried between sobs.

"We can help-" Ginny tried but as this moment the girl unlocked the door and thrust herself an inch away from us. We both backed off immediately and she scowled.

"Lindsay." Oh poor Lindsay, eyes red and tears down her cheeks she was barely recognisable as the quiet green eyed girl in DADA.

"Go away!" She screamed at us but we didn't move, too stunned to even speak.

"GO AWAY!" She charged for me but I put my arms around her, but she felt it was more a cage than a sign of comfort.

"Let me go!"

"It's ok, it's ok, no one's going to hurt you." I whispered in her ear and she slouched against my shoulder. Meanwhile Ginny stood a little gormless, her tummy rumbling to cover the silence.

"Ginny, go and get some dinner ok, we'll be there in a moment."

"No."

"Go, you're going to die in front of me from malnutrition and then I'll be scarred for life. You don't want that do you? Go." She bit her lip but ran through the door before she changed her mind. I never thought she'd actually go, it wasn't like her. Lindsay sniffed a little pathetically and we both sat down against the wall and stared into space.

"Aren't you gonna ask why I'm here." Said Lindsay, no longer crying.

"It's your call, I'm not gonna make you."

"It's none of your business anyway." She said rudely.

"You're right, it isn't." Why did I care so much about a Slytherin anyway? "I'll be going then." And I stood up to leave but she caught my arm.

"I didn't say I wanted you to leave." I sat down carefully, secretly glad she didn't want me to go. Who am I kidding, I was always one of the kids who moaned at their mum why everyone was so mean to them.

"Are you gonna tell me?"

"I'll wait until Ginny gets back, I hate having to repeat myself."

"Huh?"

"She's coming back," She checked her watch. "in about half a minute."

"How do you know that?" Is this possible?

"She'll walk through the door." I turned to face it, I couldn't hear anyone coming, was she playing a trick? "Now." A witch stumbled through the door holding a heavy tray, I could only see her vivid red hair.

"I'm back." Ginny set down before us with a tray laden with the best good money can buy. "You didn't think I was actually going to the Great Hall did you?" Ginny gave me a very strange look, as my eyes were still the size of dinner plates and my jaw dropped wide enough to drive a car into. She waved her hand before my face and I blinked a few times.

"Sorry."

"What just happened there?" Ginny looked from me to Lindsay, waiting for someone to explain.

"I think Lindsay will tell us later. But right now, nothing will get between me and this." I gestured to the tray, Ginny had struck gold.

"Where did you get this?" Lindsay asked, a little suspiciously.

"The elf kitchens, Meg and I get hot chocolate from there almost every night." We're a little obsessed by it, in case you haven't noticed, but it is the most glorious cocoa in the world.

"Wow." And with that we tucked into a feast of Yorkshire puddings, gravy, mash, peas, sausages, treacle tart, ice cream, custard and the best hot cocoa ever made. It was a little odd, a feast in the toilets, but Ginny and I made so many funny faces, we giggled and laughed and I even had a fork fight with Ginny when she stole the last sausage. It was the first time I'd seen Lindsay smile.

"Do you think the feast is finished yet?" I asked.

"Who cares? We can stay here as long as we want." Said Ginny, between mouthfuls of Treacle tart covered in both custard and ice cream, my favourite and bizarre way to enjoy dessert.

"Why have you put both custard and ice cream into your bowl?" Asked Lindsay.

"Because it's delicious." I said for Ginny, clamping my hand over her mouth so she didn't embarrass herself the way she usually did.

"I'll try." She scooped in spoonfuls of ice cream to her treacle tart which was already drowning in custard."I actually agree with you." She said after a moment's thought.

"I'm glad you like it, ten sickles for using my idea." I said cheekily putting my hand out for the money.

"Hey, you didn't tell me you thought of it."

"Well, I did work for Florean Fortescue's all summer." I boasted, well what's the point of working your socks off if you don't get a reward? Well I guess I did get paid, but still.

"Really, a proper job at our age?"

"Well, I had to."

"Why?"

"Lindsay,-" Said Ginny, a bit bossily.

"Call me Liz."

"Ok, then Liz,-wait, why Liz?"

"Because I hate the name Lindsay."

"Why?" Sometimes I just want to saw her head off. Does Ginny know how long it took me to get this girl to like us? Well, not long, but still.

"Aren't you getting a little side tracked?" I prompted.

"Oh yeah. Liz, aren't we here to hear your story?"

"I'll tell, but only after Meg." I bit my lip and shook my head, I wasn't going down there.

"Deal, Meg, are you alright with that?" Ginny turned to me but I shook my head again, I didn't even want to think about it. Ginny got the message sharpish and turned back to Lindsay – Liz. Whatever. "No deal, I guess we'll hear another time."

"Ok, ok. I guess I'll feel better after telling you two." I murmured and they both turned to hang on to my every word. I may never be able to tell them the truth but I wasn't going to lie, ish.

"My letter came to me in the summer, to my muggle family. Before that letter, I was a perfectly ordinary muggle who read books of fantastical places" Hogwarts to mention one. "in all of her spare time, well what was supposed to be homework time. My parents, my brothers, were pleased for me for a while." About a minute. "But they heard from someone" Moi "that bad things would be happening at Hogwarts this year. They wouldn't let me go, nothing would change their mind.

"So I hopped on the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley and spent my summer there. I had so little money I had to work all day at Florean's and even do the dishes at The Leaky Cauldron to buy everything I needed. I hardly cared that I'd left my family behind at first. Being here is exactly like being inside one of my books at home." Exactly. Liz sat there speechless when I'd finished my story.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I just wish I was brave enough to run away like you did. Us Slytherins may run away in the face of danger, but not from our parent's house to what must have seemed make believe to you." Make believe. That word has lost all meaning to me now.

"I guess that's why I'm a Gryffindor." I'd never thought of it that way.

"Your turn." I nudged Ginny in the ribs for being so tactless, again.

"Um, I'm a prophecy maker." She said out of the blue.

"Really!" Ginny was amazed. Again, tact.

"Is your mother one?" I asked curiously, having seen Liz's little talent already.

"No."

"Your Gran?"

"No."

"Aunt?"

"No, it's just me. And that's not all, I'm muggle born. I'm the only muggle born in Slytherin, well the last one who revealed themselves was almost a hundred years ago. But there are plenty of muggle born Slytherins who have never told their secret. I must be the only muggle born Prophecy maker too.

"It was quite easy for me to blend in before I came here. As all my magic, pretty much, were prophecies, whispered in my ear. It really scared me when each came true almost immediately but I didn't tell anyone. Why would I want to mess my life up? I was popular, I had great friends, a boyfriend who loved me, reasonable grades that my parents were proud of. I was just pulling myself together after losing..." She wavered off and Ginny opened her mouth but I shut it impatiently.

"Anyway, I told my friends, my boyfriend too. They thought I was just pulling their legs. I told Jordan, my boyfriend, that the only way to contact me was by owl, and if he wanted to ever hear from me again he should read the messages owls gave him. After saying I was mad, he left me. I knew it was going to happen, but it still hurt. Regardless I sent an owl to him yesterday, I told him what Hogwarts was like and that I still loved him, very much and...and..." Liz dissolved into tears again and I moved her gently to my shoulder, holding her tight. No one should cry alone, poor thing.

"Is she alright?" Ginny mouthed over Liz's shoulder and I just gave her a look. I really must saw her head off.

"Poor Liz." I said a little sadly as we took the steps up to Gryffindor. If there was one thing we knew, it was how to get from Slytherin to Gryffindor and back again.

"I wonder what her boyfriend said."

"Probably that he didn't want a dirty witch for a girlfriend."

"I wonder what she lost..."

"That's a good question. But I think she told us quite enough today."

"Why did she tell us though, why not anyone else?"

"We were in the right place at the right time and she couldn't exactly tell another Slytherin." Ginny looked a little blank. "They probably wouldn't listen and call her a mudblood." Ginny winced.

"I'll murder the first Slytherin who calls you that."

"Thanks but I think I can look after myself."

"Fair enough. I'll be moral support then."

"Oh, so useful in a fight. I'll always need someone cheering me in." I said, my voice thick with sarcasm, Ginny giggled.

"That's me, the best morale booster money can buy."

"But I get you free."

"Sure." Ginny and I dressed for a bed and gossiped in bed, the others were fast asleep. At about 10.30 we fell asleep, only to be woken an hour later.

"Come on, wake up!" Katharine shouted loudly in my ear. "We're going to be late!" Ginny yawned beside me.

"What the hell Holly?" She said grouchily to a fellow Gryffindor who had just thrown Ginny's covers to the floor.

"Please get ready quickly guys. No one's going to thank us for losing house points." Pleaded Holly a little timidly. She looked like a shy little door mouse next to Katharine.

"Do we have to?" Yawned Claire from behind Holly.

"Yes!" Shouted Katharine.

"Ok, ok. Anything not to be eaten by the hungry lioness."

"Don't forget grouchy." Added Ginny.

"And bossy." I said too. Katharine crossed her arms and sniggered.

"Anyway, the hungry lioness shall indeed it you if you don't get dressed now!" She said jokily but everyone obeyed. Face the facts, a group of giggly girls like us needs someone like Katharine to keep us in order.

"Everyone ready?" Miraculously all five of us were back in our school robes and carrying our bags, as if we had never gone to sleep. "Let's go." Thankfully, Katharine led the way up to the highest tower. A spiral staircase led up the last two floors. I didn't like the closed spiral staircases, I always fell over, last week I got to the top only to have Holly escort me back down again with a nose bleed.

When we finally made it I was again in awe of the Hogwarts magic, it was a perfect tower top balcony. The very highest tower, far above the many turrets. Last week I had looked over the edge but I was never going to do that again, it scared half to death. We were very far from the ground and also much closer to the midnight sky, the stars, the moon in all its beauty. Hence the brass telescopes we all pulled out of our bags.

"Welcome, children, to Astronomy." Announced the teacher, he was a proper star gazer, Professor Guinea, mind permanently in the skies. He hadn't a clue we'd seen him only a week ago.

Ginny nudged me, she had spotted Liz amongst all the other Slytherins and she was frantically patting the two seats beside her.


	9. Happy Halloween

_**NB: I have changed Meg's general appearance from blue eyed and blonde to hazel eyed and red haired. She hasn't suddenly died her hair and put in contacts or anything, don't panic. Even though her appearance is not mentioned once in this chapter, just wanted you guys to know.**_

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**_Chapter 9

Happy Halloween

"What I wouldn't give for my iPod." I said wistfully. I had never been a worshipper of the iPod, like some of my friends, but I never thought I could need as much as I do now.

"What's that?" Asked Ginny, half asleep from boredom.

"Something that sings music in your ear."

"Sounds cool."

"Oh, you'd love it."

"It must be really lame to never use the technology you love."

"This is like the dark ages to muggles! We haven't lived like this since the Victorian times!" I chuckled.

"And so in 1987, Gorslam and Kleint..." He droned on and on and on and on. I was one of the few who actually made notes in his class, using every second he stopped to breath to check the dribble I'd just written made sense but I was so out of it I kept reading the same line over and over again and again was so out of it I kept reading the same line over and over again and again was so out of it I kept reading the same line over and over again and again.

I heard a thump as Kelly from Hufflepuffs head hit the table, she was fast asleep. Ginny giggled silently and poked her classmate but Kelly didn't even stir.

"Hey, don't wake sleeping dragons." Kelly had a fiery temper in a nutshell, fiery as her hair which was burnt orange whereas Ginny's was more ginger. But everyone in first year loved her anyway, she had a bubbly, outgoing personality, no wonder she needed more sleep than the rest of us.

Ginny sighed with impatience and raised her eyes to the clock.

"Half an hour left until Charms with Liz. I think I may kill myself now."

"But then you'll never go to Charms." Ginny's favourite class by far.

"Ok then, I'll...annoy you!" She grinned and rifled through my pencil case, expecting me to squeal and moan. But Angie did the same trick, it was familiar ground for me. All I had to do was sit back and until she got bored. It didn't take very long. "You win." She handed it back with reluctance and resumed staring at a wall.

"You know what the lamest thing is?" Ginny rose her head. "I actually enjoyed History back home."

"Liz!" Cried Ginny as we spotted her in the corridor.

"Miss me much?" She grinned, always pleased to see us. If there's one thing I'm proud of achieving here ever, it's Liz's happiness.

"We've had Professor Binns for the last hour. She's been pining after you the whole time!" I exclaimed as we walked into the classroom. We always sat in our threesome now, at the back of the classroom. I was forever in the middle, which they told me was because otherwise they would fight over who could sit next to me. Well, I wasn't saying that wasn't true but the reason was that they liked to copy my questions and ask for help. Today we were simply practising what we had done so far, so it was basically a time to chat.

"What did you just have Liz?" I asked curiously, whilst flying a paper bird over our heads.

"Transfiguration." She answered a little sadly, we knew she dreaded every lesson she had without us. She was still too afraid to tell any of the Slytherins her secrets.

"How do you think they do it?" Wondered Ginny, while sliding her pencil left and right across her desk.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Teach all of our lessons. There's only 7 teachers, 2 classes per teacher a year."

"I'm now going to demonstrate how sad I am." I announced as Ginny gave me a very funny look and Liz looked positively intrigued. I pulled out a pencil and parchment, my own timetable and Liz's.

"You don't mind?"

"Nah, I was thinking of burning it anyway."

I beavered away with urgency, but spotted orange flames down Ginny's back that, for once, didn't belong to her hair.

"Is that a rooster's feather?"

"What?" Asked Ginny, I plucked out the feather and hand it to her. She glanced at it for a few fleeting moments then shoved it in her pocket, telling me to carry on demonstrating my sadness.

A few minutes later I had drawn up an entire timetable for each of the seven first year teachers and timetables for both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Surprisingly, it worked and teachers even had time for their other years.

"There."

"You really are sad." Said Liz, completely uninterested.

"You ok, Ginny?" I asked as we walked back to the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was dragging her feet more than usual and she hadn't opened her mouth since Charms.

"Halloween on Saturday." She said blankly, empty of emotion. I almost screamed with shock, I didn't know it had been that close. I suddenly dreaded my 'odd jobs'. What if I got something wrong? Ginny's life was stake here! "Earth to Meg." Said Ginny, waving her hand before my face.

"Oh, sorry."

"Stop doing that, I keep thinking you're going to wander off into outer space one of these days."

"Sorry, I guess we're both a bit out of it."

"I'm sorry I'm not a very good friend." Said Ginny out of the blue. It was like a robot was speaking, she was so empty and quiet. It was so different to her normal behaviour.

"You're a great friend, I've never had such a close friend, really."

"Thank you." She said simply and almost snapped out of it.

"Perpetua." I said as the portrait permitted us entrance. Ginny yawned loudly from behind me, sounding almost like a lion's roar.

"I'm so tired." She moaned.

"I'm not surprised, you've been staying up all night for the past month writing in a diary."

"It's not just a diary." If only she knew.

"I know, but it's not worth the huge bags under your eyes. Go get some sleep."

"But we have to do those-" YAWN "-questions on charms for tomorrow." I gave her a look.

"I don't want to get detention!" I repeated the look. "Oh! Thank you!" She threw her arms around me before running upstairs. I sat down at the far end of the common room, having ignored everyone else in the room, and set to staring at a wall, dreading what would happen in two days time. What if Riddle lost control of the snake, or changed his mind. He could kill an innocent student. Or worse, Ginny. Oh Ginny! Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to hide them. No one noticed when I cried myself to sleep in the common room full of people that weren't there.

"Meg." It was a female voice, sweet but clever. "Meg, are you alright?"

I raised my head reluctantly, three pairs of eyes greeted me.

"This feels like deja vu." I stated, giggling slightly, but Hermione just gave me a look.

"What's up? Tell us, you've been out of it for ages. There must be something wrong." Said Hermione but I just shook my head.

"We've never seen you _in_ it." Joked Ron and I smiled. After a moment's pause I used Liz's excuse. Be fair, what am I supposed to tell them?

"Just a bit homesick I guess." I shrugged.

"Have you sent an owl to your parents?" Asked Harry, concern etched in face.

"I-" I rummaged through my pockets, remembering the letter. "I never sent it."

"Send it in the morning then, you'll feel better. Worked with me." Said Hermione with a smile.

"Goodnight." I excused myself to my dormitory, Harry chased after me but I slammed the door in his face. I half ran up the stairs and fell into bed. I glanced at Ginny, usually so peaceful in her sleep, looked, not irritated or scared...just sad, almost emotionless

"Sugar." I said, irritated as I realised I'd never done the homework.

For Ginny's and my own sake I tip-toed down to the common room half an hour later. No one was there so I finished the questions in peace.

I expected to wake up to screams but Ginny wasn't that far gone yet, thank goodness. But she was droopy and quiet that day, not even seeing Liz in Charms and DADA could cheer her up. She barely smiled when we met up at break, looking forward to a double period of chatting. Liz was more outgoing than usual, telling outrageous jokes and hugging the two of us at every opportunity. She could tell Ginny was _out of it_ in seconds, this was her way of cheering her up.

"So we come into the classroom right, and my teacher was waiting for us at the door with an emu on his hand!"

"What's an Emu?" I asked.

"An ostrich but fluffier, anyway as we stepped through the door he squawked so loud in our faces I screamed, twice. Nothing compared to Abbie's reaction. She screamed her ruddy lungs out, cringed against the wall and threw her books halfway across the classroom!" Although it wasn't funny I found myself in fits of laughter, just from trying to laugh. Liz joined in but Ginny realised a little too late. Her shabby fake laugh barely covering the silence.

Liz and I set ourselves the challenge of cheering up Ginny for the whole lesson. I'd smuggled my tiny broomstick pal to DADA so we practised our Charms spells on it for the whole lesson. Ginny smiled as she watched us, forgot her worries for a while and joined in.

At the end of DADA Liz said she needed to talk to Mr Flitwick so we followed her back to the classroom.

"What do you need to see him for?" I asked Liz.

"None of your beeswax."

"Oh, come on. What is it?"

"I want an extension on the essay."

"We were only set it an hour and a half ago."

"But I don't understand any of it. I might have to ask for a private tutor, like I did in my old school."

"Why did you need a private tutor?"

"Because I'm dyslexic."

"Crikey, could a person have more problems?"

"Maybe."

"You're looking for a private tutor right?" Interrupted Ginny, the way she always does.

"Yeah, you know one who'll be willing?"

"As it happens, I do." I hardly believed it when she pointed at me.

"You might have a point there Gin." Liz grinned and turned to me but I was barely making a noise, merely mouthing words that won't be found in any dictionary.

"She'll think about it." Ginny came to the conclusion for me. She and Liz exchanged a smile as we turned the corner to Professor Flitwick's office. I bit my lip when I realised the smiles weren't reaching her eyes and knocked twice and we let ourselves in. Flitwick wasn't there, his room was as deserted as it was fascinating. There were millions of tiny magical objects on every surface, bewitched photographs covering the walls and muggle newspapers everywhere. The pages torn, the binding ripped _The Daily Echo, The Star, The Times_, every muggle newspaper I could think of was in that office. Something was very strange. Ginny picked up one piece, less creased than the rest and cut with care. The lady in the picture grinned, there was a whole article about her and her life, as if she was some sort of celebrity. Her hair was a lightish colour and her eyes matched perfectly, her eyes were a beautiful shape and she had faint laughter lines.

"The picture's not moving." Said Ginny feebly, struck by what she was seeing.

"They're muggle papers, Gin." I replied and read the title: 'Three times lucky winner confounds all'. Who was this girl? And what did she have to do with Flitwick?

"Why does he want them?" We all rose our eyes to the desk, where a framed photograph showed a slightly younger Flitwick with a woman the same age and a beautiful girl with black hair and sharp blue eyes. She looked nothing like Flitwick, or the girl in the paper.

"We should go, this isn't any of our business." Liz drew both of us out of our trance and we left the room and had steak for lunch. But the girl who won the lottery still played on my mind.

"Happy Halloween!" Cried Ginny, a little half hearted. She pulled on a little smile and tried her best to stop Liz and I worrying. But worry, we did.

"Ditto. You sleep well?" Stupid question.

"Ish, you?" Up all night chatting to You-Know-Who.

"Ish." Up all night worrying that you're doing You-Know-Who's bidding.

"Breakfast?"

"In pjs? Give me a sec." We changed top speed into our muggle clothes and had toast in the Great Hall. As the owls flew overhead, I remembered the letter still in my pocket.

"Hey, you know you love me?" I fluttered my eyelashes jokily.

"No, but what?"

"Could you come with me to the owlery later?"

"Sure." I pulled out the letter and a quill, adding on the end, _Happy Halloween, I hope you at least enjoy it._ I might as well say goodbye to loving Hogwarts right now. Cheesy as it sounds, tonight is where it all changes.

"Wow, so this is the owlery?" Gasped Ginny.

"No Gin, this is the library. It's enchanted, all the owls here are really books."

"Hhhh! Is that your owl?" Asked Ginny as my tiny owl swooped down from his perch and sat himself comfortable on my arm, hence I always wear sleeves when I come here.

"Gin, this is Wulfric." Ginny grinned as I addressed her.

"Nice to meet you."

"Tu-whoo."

"Wulfric, this is Ginny, Ginevia, Gin. Whatever you wish to call her."

"I doubt he can _call_ me anything!" Ginny laughed.

"Of course he can!" Young Wulfric wasn't very accustomed to sending letters, this one made his first five, but he held out his leg proudly and never fidgeting. He clipped my ear before going and swept his wings into Ginny's face as he left. I grinned, knowing at least Angie knew how I was. I didn't know if I'd ever contact my family again. But it wasn't like me to hold grudges, on the subject of grudges, I remembered what happened when I was last here. Whatever happens to me, I thought, I have to keep who I am, and never holding grudges is a part of that.

"You want to come to Dumbledore's office?" I asked timidly to Ginny and her eyes widened in shock.

"Why?"

"I need to apologise for something."

"I-" Typical, she always got the jitters when I really needed her.

"You can wait outside if you want." I give up.

"Ok." We headed to Dumbledore's office, we weren't in any hurry. Sunday was always mine and Ginny's homework day.

The office was exactly as I remembered it, and Dumbledore welcomed me back with a friendly smile.

"Have you changed your mind Megaline?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"I...I don't hold grudges Professor, it doesn't mean I think what you did was right. But I believe nothing can be accomplished by avoiding, whether it's fate or people."

"I see."

"So I've decided the future of Hogwarts is more important than a grudge."

"Thank you, Megaline. May I call you that?"

"My pleasure. My mum calls me Meg'lin, my dad Megalyne, so I guess you may call me Megaleen, since no one's taken that. Everyone else in the world, worlds rather, call me Meg."

"Then I shall indeed call you Megaline." He proposed with a chuckle. "How have you been getting on with it?" It was obvious at once what he mentioned.

"I haven't had many to do - I'm not complaining, goodness no. But I keep worrying I'll miss something."

"You won't, I have complete faith in you." So reassuring.

"Thanks, laters!"

"Goodbye Megaline."

Ginny was waiting for me patiently at the foot of the stairs, brimming with questions.

"What did you go in there for anyway?"

"To talk to the Professor."

"Well duh, but what about?"

"Hogwarts."

"What about Hogwarts?"

"Sorry, you limit for questions today is gone."

"Seriously Meg, you guys plotting world domination in there or something?"

"That didn't sound very serious to me."

"Whatever." We rounded the bend and Ginny gasped as she realised where we were. "What do you want to go to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom for?" I don't know, perhaps, saving Mrs Norris?

"I've never actually been in, I thought this was the perfect time." I swung the door open to, what could only be described as, a perfectly ordinary girl's loo. It was no different to a muggle's bar the glossy hand dryers and polished taps. Myrtle's bathroom had five toilets either side of the aisle, each painted in peeling green paint and five sinks at the opposite end, with a dirty towel to wipe your hands with.

"You've seen it now, is trying out the toilets next?" I wandered over to one of the loos and stepped straight through Moaning Myrtle herself. "I was joking!" Shouted Ginny impatiently as I shivered from the scare.

"Are you Moaning Myrtle?" I asked the pony tailed Slytherin, and she did what she does best, she moaned. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Will you shut her up!"

"Calm down! It's alright." I took hold of Ginny's shoulders as she stared at her shoes.

"Sorry, I'm a bit grumpy when I'm tired."

"I know." Myrtle was still moaning and sobbing in the corner, distressed we were ignoring her. Without a moment's hesitation I sneezed loudly into my hands and shoved my wand up my sleeve.

"Bless you."

"Cheers, lucky we're in the bathroom, eh?" I ran to one of the sinks to wash my hands, whispering an incantation to the tap while I was there.

"Okay, let's go." Ginny turned the tap for me and grabbed my hand.

"Ginny, you didn't turn the tap off." True to my word it was still running. I shoved the plug in the hole and tried with Ginny to turn the tap but it wouldn't budge.

"Let's go, we'll tell a teacher if you want."

"No thanks, let's be rebels." Ginny grinned and we legged it out of the bathroom, careful not to slip as the floor was already covered in water. Everyone assumes that this had been Myrtle, but Myrtle wasn't even there at the time! Nobody ever considered how it could be that she could be flooding the bathroom and attending a deathday party at the same moment.

Later that day I overheard Harry, Hermione and Ron discuss the Deathday Party in the common room.

"You can't say no now!" Whined Hermione.

"Can't I?"

"You promised you'd come!"

"Yeah, but-"

"And anyway, it'll be fascinating. We'll be one of the first people to witness it!"

"What a privilege." Exclaimed Ron as Hermione threw him the evils.

"We're going and that's that." Poor Harry.

"What's a deathday party?" Asked Ginny.

"The day a ghost celebrates the anniversary of their death."

"What do they do?"

"Listen to terrible music and walk through rotting food in the hope they'll taste it."

"Sounds great." Dinnertime came too early.

"Shall we go? The feast starts soon, we don't want to miss it."

"I forgot something, I'll see you there."

"I'll wait."

"No, go enjoy yourself, I'll be ten minutes, tops."

"Ok." True to my word I left the common room and paced the corridor. Liz would worry if neither of us turned up to the feast, but she would worry more if she knew Ginny was alone. I didn't want to go to the feast, not without Ginny, so, with nothing better to do, I headed down to Myrtle's bathroom and laid in wait for something, anything to happen.

I must have fallen asleep in that bathroom, goes to show how tired Ginny and I have been. I heard footsteps outside when I woke up, an echoing slap on the floor as Ginny placed the bucket of blood on the floor. I held my breath as she daubed Voldemort's words onto the wall metres away from me. I didn't need to see through walls to see what she had written:

_**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**_

_**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.**_

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_**So, it's truly begun, no going back now.**_

_**What did you think of Flitwick's little background story?**_

_**I enjoy doing things like that so I had to sneak it in

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	10. Of Nightmares And Nargles

_**This is the other missing chapter :(. Sorry to be so stupid, I must have uploaded then completely forgotten, I can be such a goldfish sometimes.

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_Chapter 10_

_Of Nightmares and Nargles_

Ginny was shaky the next morning, to say the least. When I told her what had happened she cried, the twins argued that she was a cat lover. But I knew the truth.

"What do you think is wrong?" Liz was as concerned as I was. We were alone at the Great Hall that Thursday, I got Madame Pomfrey to issue me with a note for the first two lessons today, there was no way I was waking her up when she'd fallen asleep in Astronomy last night.

"Can't you See?" Liz usually didn't have to question anything but today she shook her head, her hands covering her face.

"I haven't Seen _anything_ about Ginny lately, what either of you did when you were meant to be at the feast, her lack of sleep, the homework she hasn't done, what she writes in that diary every night, her nightmares, anything. Nothing's messed with my prophecies before." She paused for a moment, frustrated, but her eyes gazed off sadly. "I keep getting nightmares though."

"Really?"

"But I can't remember them afterwards. It's how I get half of my prophecies usually, I always remember the important dreams. But now, now I wake up with a head ache, gasping for my life and my throat sore from screams...and I don't know why." Liz gazed off and we both sat and worried. Something was very wrong.

Ginny was much better after a good night's sleep, you could see it in her eyes. She wasn't fully back by any means but it was amazing what a bit of sleep could do.

"Hey, did I miss much?" She asked brightly when she sat down next to us in DADA.

"Colour transfiguration and boredom in Potions. Astronomy was fascinating though, I'll show you the work afterwards."

"What did you change the colour of?"

"Tables, chairs. Colin missed the table and accidentally died McGonagall's hair blonde. But all in all a rather boring lesson." Ginny chuckled and we both turned our heads to Liz, she was muttering to another Slytherin, I think her name was Bethany Violet, a rather pasty looking girl with high cheekbones and hair black as coal. If it weren't for her bright blue eyes I could swear she was in permanent black and white.

"What's the Chamber of Secrets anyway?" The pale faced girl asked.

"It's a secret chamber which has never been discovered."

"Well done Sherlock, but what do you think is inside?"

"What does that matter? Matters who it attacks doesn't it?"

"It doesn't take a genius to work that one out."

"No?"

"Filthy, untrustworthy, good for nothing Mudbloods." She nodded towards me, exhibit number 1. Ginny, overhearing this, rose from her chair in rage.

"How dare you call her that?!" She shouted. Lockhart froze in position at the front of the classroom and the whole class turned to Ginny who sat down again, equally furious but also now a slight shade of red.

"Thank you Ginny, I shall be seeing you four" He gestured towards Bethany, Liz, Gin and I "after the lesson. Now back to the werewolf."

The class returned to its usual volume and Liz gave Bethany a dirty look before turning back to us.

"What was all that about?" Liz asked, as quiet as she could.

"Do you not know about Mu-?" Near 12 years of good bringing up stopped Ginny from saying the word. She reminded me of myself, the one time my brother taught me a swear word and I was far too ashamed to say it. I've never sworn in my life.

"Enlighten me."

"It's a really foul name for someone who is muggle born. It means dirty blood, as if we're diseased. Slytherins are well renowned for hating muggle borns." I concluded and Ginny gave me a meaningful look. It was only a matter of time before she found out why I always knew far too much.

"That's horrible." She paused for a moment. "The others in Slytherin are always talking of how unworthy and over liked muggle borns are, but I've...I've never thought of you as one."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm a Slytherin, sometimes I hate that I am in such a prejudiced and filthy house and I deserve to be there. Sometimes I hate myself for being a muggle born. But you never fit any of the things they say about muggle borns. I do, so does everyone else I know who's muggle born, to an extent, but you never do."

"Maybe it's because A, you don't really know any other muggle borns and B, you have a low self esteem?"

"Probably!"

"Hey Meg," Said Ginny, a little quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Didn't I say I was going to murder the first Slytherin who called you that?"

"Yes, now I come to think of it."

"Do you think you could let me off? Violet's scary." Whined Ginny, Liz and I laughed.

"Now, has anyone got any leads on the heir of Slytherin?" Lockhart asked the class, rubbing his hands together. "Remember, we need to tackle him-"

"Or _her_!" Katherine insisted.

"Or her indeed with everything we've got. Don't forget anything I've taught you! Or you could be next!" Everyone laughed but Lockhart was completely serious. Hit by a brainwave, I shot my hand up.

"Yes Miss-?"

"Andrews, why don't you arrange a duelling club for all years so we can revise all the defence you've taught us this year?" I suggested quite innocently and he pondered for a moment.

"I have just come up with an amazing idea, just this second! I shall be holding a Duelling Club over the weekend for everyone to practise the defence spells they have learnt in my lessons!" Everyone cheered but I cringed as Liz and Ginny moaned over me how unfair it was that he'd just stolen my idea. I didn't really care. But Liz and Gin thought it was an outrage. As the bell rang the class was dismissed but Bethany, Liz, Ginny and I all stayed in our seats.

"Now I want a full explanation." Lockhart declared, for once not showing his award winning smile.

"Bethany called Meg a-" Ginny and Liz argued in unison.

"Mudblood." I whispered, and the other two stared at me.

"I see. And what is your form of events Miss Violet?"

"I was talking about Mudbloods in general and Lindsay and her Weasley friend were being prejudiced and assumed I was talking about _her_. I mean why would I?"

"Miss Andrews, did she specify?"

"Does it matter? I'm rather desperate to get do my homework actually."

"I must agree, I have a huge stack of mail to reply to, and I really don't like to neglect my fans. So I shall indeed send you on your way." Lockhart can be so dim sometimes. No, make hat all the time.

"What did you do that for?!" They both groaned and grumbled.

"Sorry."

"Idiot." Ginny tapped me on the head with a rolled up newspaper.

I dragged her off round the castle. We were aiming for the common room but, as always, took a wrong turn. Ginny gave it a little gasp as she recognised where we were.

"The Chamber of Secrets." I read. "I wonder what that is." Ginny leant against my shoulder. She bit her lip and started to cry. "Hey, hey." I turned to put my arms round her. "It's going to be alright. You never told me you were a cat lover." Grasping this as the most likely excuse, Ginny nodded. I put my arm round her and we walked together roughly in the direction of the common room.

"Who do you suppose it'll attack next?" Ginny queried.

"I don't know." We rounded the corner to find a blonde Ravenclaw, appearing to talk at a wall. It was of course, Luna.

"If I say 'everything I tell you is a lie', am I telling you the truth or a lie?" Asked a lady's voice, appearing to resound from one of the portraits on the wall. Luna pondered for a moment but was very confident in her answer.

"It would be a lie. It can't be the truth without contradicting itself which therefore makes it a lie anyway. But some of your statements may be lies, and this is one of them." She answered simply.

"Good deduction, my friend." The portrait swung forward but,

"Wait, Luna!" I called and she turned to face me.

"Hello." Luna said in her usual dreamy tone.

"Hey, Luna. We were wondering if you could help us with Transfiguration."

"You? Need help with Transfiguration?"

"Well, actually, Ginny was away during the lesson and I thought it would help to get a second opinion on the work. But no one from Gryffindor would help so I thought I'd come here."

"I see. Sorry, today's a bad time. Wouldn't you just look how many nargles are in Ginevra's head? They're almost pouring out of your ears. A very bad time to practice spells."

"Ginny, what are nargles?" Ginny corrected.

"They're very curious creatures, unseeable to the human eye. They infest places where strong emotions are held, feeding on those emotions, not draining the emotion, sharing it I guess. Don't worry, they're completely harmless, just make your brain run rather slowly.

"You can always find them in mistletoe, they're real suckers for romance. But they're often unlucky, a bad omen if you are not currently experiencing very strong emotions when they are upon you so I wear butterbeer corks to keep them away. I'll get you some too. But for now have plenty of hot cocoa, that keeps them away too." She smiled and disappeared behind the portrait.

"I see why they call her Loony." Ginny confirmed.

"You can say that again."

"Has Ginny gone to bed?" Asked Percy when he saw me sat alone at the back of the common room.

"I hope so, I think I persuaded her to get some sleep. It would be a shame to miss double Herbology."

"Has she been having nightmares?" He was really concerned, I never realised how thoughtful Percy was of his little sister. They were all a bit over protective.

"Every night."

"Does she ever tell you what happens in them?"

"No, she always says she doesn't remember."

"Are you sure it's Mrs Norris-?"

"Be fair, what else could it be?"

"I'm writing to Mum."

"No don't, she'll just get more anxious."

"But-"

"If she gets worse. Feel free."

"Thank you Meg." He allowed me to get back to mine and Ginny's homework in peace. I stirred my mug of cocoa, purely for something to do. We had followed Luna's recommendations on that, but we were still trying to find a way of turning down her offer of butterbeer corks.

When I finally went up to the common room, having finally finished all the homework, everyone was fast asleep. Ginny kept flinching and twisting as I tried to get to sleep. It got to the point that her covers were all over the floor and she had her head at the opposite end she started from. I couldn't sleep either, listening out for the next rustle of sheets, whimper or squeal from my neighbour. But I did drift off eventually.

"Meg! Meg! Make her stop!" Katie shouted, shaking me awake. Someone was screaming like hell was upon them. Ginny. One glance of her agony and I was immediately wide awake and by her side. It was comforting to hold her close and know she was safe.

"Ginny, it's alright. Shhh, nothing can hurt you in your dreams." She whimpered a little but her breathing finally evened out as she listened to my voice "I'll see you in the morning, Ginny." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she turned onto her side and breathed evenly again. I pulled the covers back over her, with Holly's help, and we all went back to sleep, for it was 2.00 in the morning.

Well, tried. I was up all night worrying about Ginny. Holly, to my right, turned and fidgeted restlessly. No one could sleep when Ginny was like this.

"Meg?" Holly whispered, I hadn't noticed she knew I was awake, it took me a little by surprise.

"Yes?"

"I'm worried."

"We all are."

"Do you know what's happening? I mean, she's your best friend..."

"No, I don't. I don't know anything." I hated having to lie to Holly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought..."

"Goodnight Holly."

"Night." She turned away from me and I buried my head in my covers. But it was useless trying to get to sleep. I tried everything, pacing, practising spells, thinking of nothing (how the hell does that work?), wrote half a dozen fan fictions under the covers, there's infinite inspiration in Hogwarts itself. But I was still awake at 5.00. On nights like these, there was usually only one thing that could send me off, _Harry Potter._

I was a bit too hasty in pulling out my beloved books. As it was pitch black, I went for the first one my fingers touched. It was the thinnest of the lot and the cover was battered and peeling from every angle. I really did over use these. If one of them ever fell apart...it would be like my heart was sawn in two. I lit my wand and started to read...

_Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much._

You're welcome...


	11. Wish I had a Polyjuice Potion

_**Hey, not had any reviews or comments lately :(. Please review guys!**_

_**Sorry this chapter's a bit depressing but I'm gonna try and keep going through the depressing parts and rush on to the good bits but then I'm a Clannad lover so it's in my nature to invent really sad plot lines.**_

_**Please review!**_

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_Chapter 11_

_Wish I had a Polyjuice Potion_

Everyday became a struggle for Ginny, she tried so hard it hurt to watch. She always returned my smiles, attempted conversation. But she was really thick to think Liz and I wouldn't see through that. Everyone saw through it. All the first years were all shaky about one thing or another but Ginny couldn't even make a feather fly in Charms or turn a quill into a pencil in Transfiguration. History of Magic was simply time to sleep and she bunked off Astronomy.

Liz's nightmares were becoming worse, she would wake up on the floor now and Selina claimed she had shouted in the night. I had the strangest feeling about Liz's ability, was she Seeing Ginny's nightmares? If so what was so horrible that neither of them could tell me? The thought made me feel so alone sometimes, but it seemed selfish to think of myself when Ginny was so depressed. That wouldn't be fair on everyone else. I never thought I'd be wishing myself back home but I came very close in those lonesome hours at the back of the common room attempting to do endless homework.

"Hey, are you ok?" Hermione sat opposite me and peered at my work.

"Nope, you?"

"Fine I guess."

"Cool." I returned to my work as she gazed off in thought, as if not entirely sure how to ask her question. "Spit it out."

"Err, I heard you swallowed half of Diagon Alley's library over the summer holidays..." She sounded almost sad to have read less books than someone else.

"More than half, and...?"

"I was wondering" She doesn't half go on "if, while reading your books, if you came across the Chamber of Secrets?" No, I'm afraid I'm skipped out actually reading the books on my pathway to becoming a Harry Potter fan. Easy mistake to make.

"Yes, I think it's in _Hogwarts, A History."_

"Yes, but the copies in the library have all run out." She hinted heavily and I smirked.

"I have a better idea, why don't you ask Professor Dippet, the History of Magic teacher? He's sure to give you more detail than a thin book generally about Hogwarts."

"That's a great idea, why didn't I think of that?" Because you're not as awesome as me. "Thank you Meg."

"You're welcome." She stood up but I grasped her hand and pulled her back down again. "Hey, now it's my turn to ask you. What's a Polyjuice Potion?"

"Where did you hear of that?" She asked quizzically.

"Fiction."

"Fair enough, it's a potion that turns you into someone else. It only works with humans and it's just the appearance." She explained hastily, I've never seen anyone so eager to get to their History of Magic lesson.

"Don't you wish you had some?" Hermione knitted her eyebrows but I explained "I mean, you could be anyone, anywhere. Be whoever you want to be." This was getting a bit to personal. My life at Hogwarts was getting so bad that I'd gladly glug down Polyjuice every hour for the rest of my life. For the moment though, hot cocoa would have to do. "Though most magicians use it to be someone useful, so they can find out secrets that otherwise wouldn't have been told to them." Oh I love my job. It would be better if I was actually paid! 5 pounds for every time I tip off Hermione, 50 whenever I have to save Harry Potter's life. I expect I'll find out someday that by simply existing I enabled Harry Potter's survival. So that'll be 50 pounds in the bag.

A cold November breeze flitted through the branches of the Forbidden Forest's trees and pulled on mine and Ginny's hair. She moaned as we took step after step round the grounds of Hogwarts, making our way slowly but surely to the Owlery.

"I thought you said it was really close to the Greenhouses!" Ginny had to shout to be heard over the wailing wind.

"It is, not my fault you're so lazy!" I shouted back and she stuck out her tongue.

"Can't we go to lunch? I'm hungry." She grumbled as we stepped inside the owlery.

"Just give me a second alright?" She fell silent as I called Wulfric and sent off a second letter to Angie. She hadn't replied to my first one and so much had changed since then. It was like a different era, an echo of happier times. Now there was just guilt, stress and worry, the never ending worry.

"Make sure she sends a reply this time, ok?" I asked Wulfric and he bobbed his head, bless his little cotton socks! He swooped out of the Owlery, showing off with a spin as he left.

"Can we go to lunch now?"

"Whatever!" I was the one moaning now as she dragged me to the Great Hall. But who was I to complain? Ginny was smiling (very least I expect) and we had Transfiguration after lunch, happiness! We were on to changing the colour of mice now, usually that would be quite a task, but after dying McGonagall's hair accidentally-on-purpose it was a snitch! Talking of snitches, there was yet another thing to look forward to at Hogwarts: Quidditch. The best sport in the world, and also the only sport in the wizarding world. Wizarding Olympic Games would be a bit lame to say the least.

The players took off in gleaming gold and red robes for Gryffindor, silver and green for Slytherin. Malfoy looked very high and mighty on his Nimbus 2001, his noise raised high in the air, he looked a right old twit. Harry was virtually invisible behind Fred and George, his shields from the rogue bludger. Poor Dobby, he'll have to iron his fingers for this one.

After time out was called Fred and George left Harry to fend for himself, weaving this way and that round the other players. Several times he had to spin round mid air, it's no wonder Malfoy commented: "Training for the ballet Potter?". Of course, I couldn't hear them, as they were at the other end of the pitch, where the Hufflepuffs sat but, well, did you expect me to forget that line? Do you expect me to forget any of them?

Anyway, I've always wanted to see Quidditch. There was so much going on, it wasn't like any muggle sport I'd ever seen, not that I've seen many. But, on one pitch, I could see a Chaser, Katie I think, attempting to shoot, a Keeper too distracted by mean old Malfoy to save it, Fred and George keeping the sane, in comparison, bludger off another Gryffindor, Malfoy laughing at Harry, rogue bludger attempting to kill Harry, oh, oops, rogue bludger succeeds in killing Harry. The boy plummeted towards the ground and I raised my eyes to the teacher's box. All of the staff wore the same face of deep concern but no one was muttering the incantation to slow down Harry's fall. Darn it, does it always have to be me? I searched through my mind hastily, trying to remember what Dumbledore had said, I'd just decided Wingardium Leviosa when I remembered. I was thinking about the third book! Aah! I'm annoyed!

In a moment's breath, almost everyone in the stands ran to the stairs. Ginny and I were slightly slower on the uptake, lagging behind the others on the race to see if our seeker was still alive. Needless to say Lockhart got there before us.

"Doesn't know what he's saying." We heard Lockhart exclaim as Harry shied away. Colin Creevey shoved through the crowd, holding his beloved camera inches from his nose.

"_No!_ IThink I'll keep it like this, thanks..." Poor Harry.

"Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, best yet I'd say." Wood exclaimed in awe, he appeared to be the only Gryffindor not concerned about his Seeker.

A scream up front let me know Lockhart had done his annoying deed for the day, removing Harry's bones. Ginny and I pushed farther to the front, Gin hadn't spoken since Harry fell off his broom, to get a closer look. Poking out of Harry's scarlet sleeve was a pink, rubber thing which barely resembled an arm. Ginny gasped in shock when she saw.

"Is he alright? Is he alright?" She asked me with a panicky expression.

"How am I supposed to know, hey? Looks like he isn't in pain any more, but it's gonna take some torture growing those bones back."

"Sounds like you do know." I know everything, get used to it.

Hermione, Ron and Harry all headed to the Hospital Wing and we Gryffindors all turned to follow when...

"I think what Potter doesn't need right now is a huge crowd of Gryffindors." Professor McGonagall announced, placing a kind hand on Colin's camera, which he had been pointing at Harry, Ron and Hermione, now in the distance. "An excellent match, though, I have to say." She gave us a half smile then we were free to go.

The Quidditch team all headed to the changing rooms and the rest of us went back in the building, all talking about the match.

"Are you ok?" I asked Ginny, often a stupid question with her, but now it didn't seem so.

"I hope he's alright."

"He'll be fine." I rolled my eyes, long over the crush I had once had with fictional Harry (can I still call anything fictional?), I could only point and laugh at Ginny, who was admittedly obsessed. I always aimed to keep her away from Colin, otherwise mine and Harry's worst fears would form in a Harry Potter fan site. Although saying that, in the muggle world, I was a member of every major fansite to do with Harry Potter. I was missing all those nights snuggled up with my laptop and a good cup of cocoa, checking my subscription alerts and writing blogs. Ok, I could hardly call Ginny obsessed, she wasn't even stalking him. If I still had fantasies about Harry then I would stalk him everywhere. Moving on from that very odd topic...

"Right, Dinner, shall we?" I asked vaguely but Ginny didn't respond. Just as she was thinking a flash of blonde chased up behind us.

"Hey!" Trust Liz.

"Hey, what did you think of the match?" I asked.

"Rubbish, our team is crud almighty, but fun to watch."

"Do you want to be on the Quidditch team soon?"

"No, getting a wedgie on a broomstick isn't my thing, you?"

"No, I'm pathetic at sports." Understatement of the year. "Ginny?" Our far off friend pulled herself out of her reverie with great effort.

"Yeah, it's great when we play it at home."

"With all of your brothers?" Liz asked, trying to get her to make conversation.

"Sometimes. At Christmas we're often in the house all at the same time but usually Charlie and Bill are off doing things in Romania or with the Ministry. Percy never plays, he's always studying."

"How many brothers do you have?"

"Six"

"Wow. I thought one little sister was enough."

"You have a little sister?!" I exclaimed, I'd always wanted one.

"Yeah, she's a terror. 7 years old and already attempting to burn the house down. I think it's wonderfully ironic that her name's Joy!" Lol.

There were several whispers and nudges as Ginny, Liz and I sat down at the Gryffindor table. Ginny and I encouraged Liz to act like normal but she slightly overacted her non Slytherin qualities and I noticed she had her arm over Ginny's shoulders the whole time. To us, this would be fine, Liz and I were always solemn protectors of Ginny, but to anyone outside our threesome, well I didn't want to imagine.

"Ginny, Meg, mind introducing us to your friend?" Ron shot Liz a dirty look from across the table.

"Liz, this is Hermione and Ron, my very annoying brother. Ron and Hermione, this is Liz, my very close friend." Ginny said, ignoring Ron's frustration.

"Hi." Liz gave a little wave which only Hermione returned. "Are you feeling alright?" Liz asked me and I raised my head, a bit gormless.

"Fine, why?"

"You haven't touched your food." I gazed down, she was right. My plate was full and not one sausage had been touched. I fingered one crisp sausage, exactly how I liked it, but I had no desire to eat it, no ache in my tummy.

"Just not hungry I guess."

"You'll regret it later, eat something, please." She opened her mouth again to say more but snapped it shut quickly. It was an unspoken taboo to mention how much we already worried about Ginny, no matter what happened.

"I guess you're right." I admitted, more to the unspoken statement than the spoken, poor Liz couldn't cope with both of her best friends going all emo.

After finally emptying my plate, which had felt more like a task than a pleasure, Ginny and I bid our farewells to complete yet another essay. We had to do a poem on Lockhart's oh so triumphant defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf. Joy.

I'd barely written the first line when Ginny let out the almighty yawn to defeat all.

"Go, sleep." I said, impatiently.

"But I have to-"

"No buts. You stay up half the night writing in that diary anyway, you might as well go up now so you can get some sleep." She did as she was told, biting her lip as if she's just been told off. The door closed with a slam.

Now alone, I could concentrate on my words much better. Each word flowed into the next line and chose their own phrasing, with little help from me. I had so much practice writing I could easily write poems while doing a one armed cartwheel (one armed so I can write). Both poems took me five minutes. Bored and anxious I decided to suck my pencil to death, it didn't taste that good. That reminds me...

Almost an hour later a very tired and rather dishevelled Colin Creevey walked past me, so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't notice me, doodling away in the corner.

"Colin, where are you going?" I asked quietly but he jumped when he heard me, no one else was in the common room. I noticed he was carrying his camera around his neck, couple that with his pyjamas and anyone else would _think_ he was insane. But everyone in Gryffindor knew this was very common for Colin, we all _knew_ he was insane.

"Just err-"

"To go and see Harry?" I asked kindly and he nodded his head.

"Good on you, why don't you take these grapes to him, they're what muggles always get each other in Hospital." Colin and I exchanged a smile, we were only 2 of 3 muggle born Gryffindors in our year, it was nice to have something like that in common.

"That's what we brought my dad when he broke his leg."

"Ditto, but my brother. Though how you can break you leg while playing the cello is beyond me." Colin sniggered and took the grapes I'd taken earlier from the elf kitchens.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, and Colin," He turned quickly as I said his name again. "I heard Harry's on his way back now."

"Oh?"

"You know what he's like with photos, you'll need to have your camera ready the whole time." Colin held his camera in front of his face and peered through the viewfinder gingerly. "Perfect."

"Goodnight Meg."

"Goodnight, and..." I trailed off as my eyes wandered, I never thought I'd have to do something like this. "be careful."

Colin gave me a funny look but agreed with a dip of his chin and disappeared through the porthole.

I had to sit on my hands to stop myself from running after him. At least I saved his life. At least I hope I saved his life. A wet tear ran down my cheek as I thought to myself 'Why me?' 'When did I ask for this'. Now I was seeing Dumbledore's tasks for me in a very different light indeed. Colin didn't deserve this, he was such a decent, hard working kid. I was always indecisive about my own life, and I never wanted to be in charge of other people's. Why couldn't someone else do this part for me? Hogwarts wasn't worth this. Why couldn't I pretend to be someone else?

The door creaked and I held back a cry as a ginger flame passed through the common room before me and out the portrait hole. I'm sorry, Colin.


	12. You Can't Make Me

_**Hey guys, just flicked back through my submitted chapters and realised something drastic, I never submitted my sixth chapter! No wonder the wordcount was different on my document and fanfic :(. How dumb am I? Saying that, although all of my chapters are numbered, no one else noticed!**_

_**I thought I'd put in how old the kids are this chapter, just so you guys in America understand what the hell I'm talking about :)**_

_**Enjoy.**_

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_Chapter 12_

_You can't make me_

"Can't you stay here, Liz?" Ginny pleaded but Liz shook her head.

"My folks say I still need to spend my 12th birthday and Christmas at home." She explained and Ginny moaned.

"I hate being the youngest." Ginny mumbled. "It sucks still being 11."

"I'm only July."

"Yes, but I'm August!" Ooh, I didn't know that! How come that has never ever been mentioned? Come to think of it only Harry birthday's ever mentioned, oh and Nick's Deathday.

"It must be really weird having your birthday on Christmas Eve." I asked and Liz knitted her eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Well, you'd have a party and open all your presents while your mum's downstairs cleaning the house and there's a Christmas tree in the corner," My Christmases were always a big do, I couldn't imagine it any other way. "and then at night you'd put up stocking and wake up to even more presents."

"Christmas isn't one bit like that at my house."

"What's it like?" Ginny looked up from her doodles.

"Well, it's hilarious actually. My mum insists on doing the proper do for my birthday, telling off all the relatives who get me a combined present, has all of my friends round, go ice skating, bowling. Then, we put away all the party decorations, put up all the Christmas decorations in one night and hang up the stockings. In the morning Mum runs helter skelter through out the whole house cleaning it and cooking the dinner. Joy always tries to get under her feet though."

"Does your Dad help?" Ginny cocked her head to the side like a little robin. I was expecting Liz to stop the conversation awkwardly, what I would do in her situation, but, as she was Liz, she waved it off like a breeze.

"Who cares about him? Anyway..." Ginny gave me a very strange look behind Liz's back and I sighed in defeat.

"Why doesn't her dad help?" She whispered.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny, there are some things you will never understand."

"But-?"

"Gin, never change." She still looked confused as I ruffled her hair and joined in conversation with Liz. Ginny can be so dim sometimes, I'd sussed it out ages ago, but she's never really been outside the Weasley family if you think about it, never knew any girls anywhere near her age before Hogwarts. The school must be a real culture shock for people like her.

"So, how's Christmas going to be _this_ year?" I asked and Liz grinned then paused for a moment but the answer, as always, was upon her lips in seconds.

"A bit quieter than usual, we're going to have a huge party the Saturday before, I'll see all my old friends." Liz's eyes brightened at the mere thought of her past friends. "But Christmas is going to be a shambles." Her smile dropped as she groaned.

"Why?" Ginny and I asked, in perfect unison.

"Joy, she's going to be throwing up everywhere."

"Joy to the world!" I giggled, thinking of Liz's supposedly annoying little sister. Ginny and I knew Liz far too well, she always said bad things about those she loved.

Holly turned around in her seat to face us, which was unusual, she usually never took her eyes off Professor Lockhart.

"Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about Christmas?" She asked.

"Not when you've just received an owl from your parents ordering you back for Christmas holidays." Holly shrugged and turned back quickly when Liz had answered.

"What did I do?" Asked Liz. Ginny and I both shrugged, knowing other Gryffindors didn't need a reason to give evils to Liz. "By the way, sorry Ginny, but Meg's going home too."

"What?!" Ginny shot me the evils.

"Am I?" This was news to me.

"Apparently." Liz knows everything, as always.

"But I don't want to." I wanted to stay at Hogwarts, why would I want to go home? Ginny slumped miserably in her chair, refusing to talk to either of us and for, maybe five minutes, silence fell upon our table. That doesn't mean we were listening to Lockhart though. I didn't need to be able to read minds or be a Seer to know what mine and Ginny's Christmases would be like. I shall murder Dumbledore if I have to...oh sugar. I need a bigger brain!

"Ginny, what's the time?" Time to admit it, I was panicking.

"Calm down, we've only got 10 minutes left to the lesson, then it's lunch and then no more school."

"I love Fridays." Liz announced, balancing her chair on two legs, a constant habit of hers. The way she acted in lessons, if she was at my school she'd definitely be a part of the naughty, troublesome girls at the back who whisper and giggle and are always picked on by our teachers.

"Couldn't ten minutes go a bit quicker?" I asked after, at the most, two.

"Why do you want to go so bad?" Liz queried.

"I..." I shot my hand up, struck by a sudden epiphany.

"Yes...Edwards?" Lockhart paused, in the middle of plunging a stake into Will's chest. I felt a little ache when I saw that, Lockhart used to love using Colin for his demonstrations. He had made for a terrible actor, always made us Gryffindors laugh (and the Slytherins snigger), though.

"Andrews, could I please go to the loo?" I asked politely.

"Yes, and since the lesson will finish soon, why don't you take your stuff, that's a good girl." Lockhart turned back to Will. "And with that he fell to the ground! Go on Will, that's it, I think you can die more convincingly than that!"

"I thought you only cured him of vampirism sir?"

"Of course, Miss Engles, how could I forget?"

I slipped through the door, refusing to look at Liz or Gin, and ran down the corridor. I dumped my stuff beside the first suit of armour I came to, although I knew I'd never see it again, and kept running. Gryffindor common room was thankfully empty, many NEWT students preferred to work in the Great Hall. A sweet miaow greeted me as I crept up the steps to the boy's dormitories. What a time to forget Stuart's affection for cats?

I was very fond of animals myself, having raised a family of gerbils when I was nine. But I hadn't had pets since. Majolie, Stuart's cat, wasn't very co-operative to say the least. She spat and scratched when I finally was able to hold her.

"Miaow!" She yelped as I pulled a few dozen whispy, black hairs from her back and slipped them inside my robes. Now for the easy part, getting them on Millicent Bulstrode's robes. Huh, good thing I have a Slytherin for a best friend.

"Wait, talk slower." Said Liz impatiently as I stumbled over my words again in a rush to say them.

"Would you please put these on Millicent Bulstrode's robes." I thrust her the small bag of cat hairs and she looked at me as if I was mad.

"Why?" Why did I not think of that?

"I...hear she's..." Come on Meg, think! "allergic to cats." Rubbish, surely I spent almost 12 years in your head to teach you better imagination that that?

"Hilarious."

"She...err..."

"Come on, spit it out!"

"Stuart paid me to." I whispered, taking a gamble.

"What?" Ginny stopped eating her lunch altogether, spoon half way to her mouth as Liz gaped at me.

"Millicent Bulstrode wants to buy one of his cats." Stuart has dozens at home in Hogsmeade. "He told me to cover her cloak with Majolie's cat hairs, so when she goes to see Socks on Sunday, Socks will hate her, so will the others actually. Majolie's only with Stuart now because the others keep picking on him."

"Why did he ask you?" Liz actually believed me, knowing how over protective of his cats Stu was, not only that but she was concerned.

"Because...I'm good at that sort of stuff."

"You are?"

"I got him out of Charms homework before and I have a friend who's a Slytherin." I'd made my quill do backflips for Flitwick so Stuart could leave early unnosticed, Flitwick always collected homework at the end of the lesson.

"True. But why did you say yes?"

"Because I need the money." I pleaded puppy dog like and Liz finally gave in.

"Ok, ok I'll do it. Mind you, only if I get half the pay."

"Quarter?"

"A third?"

"Deal." Ginny gave a slight glance to our abstract conversation before moving swiftly onto pudding. I didn't blame her for rarely talking at meal times anymore, Colin used to sit just feet away from us.

"Do you keep a secret stash of sandwich bags?" Liz asked when I handed over the cat hairs. Ginny appeared almost mesmerised by the plastic.

"Err..."

"I can just imagine you, mid-day, rest of the family at work having told you you can't go to Hogwarts, a magic school from the dark ages. So you decide to run away from home. What do you pack first? Sandwich bags. Couldn't you at least have packed something electronic? An iPhone maybe?" Well I'm glad Liz finds this amusing.

"They're very useful. Not very eco-friendly, but useful."

"Like most things we learn about in science, incredibly useful, easy to obtain but, oh my days! It's going to destroy the planet!" Ginny had definitely decided we were insane by now. No doubt.

"And they never work in Hogwarts."

"And they never work in Hogwarts." Liz agreed, a little depressively.

I hate waiting! Have I ever told you impatient I am? I could do nothing but tap on the table in the Great Hall, which irritated Ginny to death.

"Can't we wait for Liz somewhere else?" She moaned.

"If you want to roam the corridors and get lost, be my guest."

"Common room?"

"How's she going to get in?"

"Didn't think of that..."

Ginny drifted off for a while, neither talking to me or moving. Just gazing absently at the Enchanted Ceiling. I admit, it was fascinating and beautiful (and very distracting in exams) but no one stared at it for this long. I was thankful when Liz finally came back, pulling Ginny from her reverie.

"Done it." She said quickly, between breaths. She was totally puffed out.

"Run a race on the way back?"

"No, someone wanted to know what I was doing in their dormitory." She pulled a grim face as she explained being chased from the dormitories by someone called Blaise Zabini from Harry's year.

"Oops." I gave her a hi 5 and we all sat at the bench on the deserted Gryffindor table.

"Shall we go to the library?" Liz suggested.

"Yeah, that's a great idea!"

I was in heaven. I can see why no one ever could decide whether I was Hermione or Luna, Book lover who's fascinated by Nargles. Well, since I was now a witch, couldn't I be a Megaline? That makes sense!

"Madam Pince, is there a non-fiction aisle?" I asked politely to the witch behind the counter.

"No, this is a school, not a playgroup."

"Ok."

"She's friendly." Said Liz, a little too loud, but she didn't care. The two of us pulled Ginny from aisle to aisle to aisle. The books weren't anywhere near as good as those in the Diagon Alley, but beggars can't be choosers.

Ginny and Liz would have left the library empty handed, had I not needed three pairs of hands to carry my books.

"Why did you have to choose the really heavy ones?" Liz groaned.

"Why did you have to choose any at all?" Ginny was equally put out.

"Because I want to read ahead on all of our subjects."

"Why would you need to know about Ancient Runes?" Queried Ginny, it was the largest book she was carrying, so they'd better be a good reason where she's concerned.

"Because I want to find out what Megaline is in Ancient runes. Although that may be impossible because everyone says it differently."

"Megaline?" Liz almost dropped her books on her toe, whereas I thought Ginny just wanted to ask me something.

"Yes?" Das ist meine Name.

"Why Megaline?"

"My mother was rather eccentric before she had me." Unbearably so.

"Really? Oh."

"How did you not know her name's Megaline?" Liz asked, outraged.

"What, you didn't know my name's Megaline?!" Talk about slow.

"Err...how did you know anyway?"

"Well it's my name, funnily enough."

"No, Liz."

"The Sorting, dimbo."

"Oh."

"So?" Scary Liz. Eeek!

"I had better things to worry about at the Sorting than memorising everyone's names." Huh. Better things to do than find out your best friend's name.

"You knew Liz was Lindsay when I didn't."

"That's weird, everyone calls me Liz, how could you have known my full name?"

"I-I guess I paid attention to the 'T's."

"What's my surname?" I asked, since she knew Liz's.

"Something beginning with 'A'."

"You're hopeless."

"I know."

"Meg, is it Megalyne, Megaleen, Megaylin, Megayleen or Meg'lin?"

"Mega-anything pretty much."

"Mega-watt?" Liz joked.

"Don't you start. Haven't we frizzled Ginny's brain cells enough by talking about Science today?"

"Mega-Volt?"

"I can use that to murder anyone who annoys me."

"Mega-Hertz?"

"Liz'll hurt soon if she doesn't stop it."

It was breakfast on a Saturday at Hogwarts, and everyone was waiting for the morning post. Not me though, I was half way through _'A Hufflepuff to shame all'_ which was the autobiography of a female Hufflepuff, believe it or not, who gained high positions in the Ministry after leaving Hogwarts. Sounds highly dull until you realise it's written in diary, and full of juicy gossip. Her family, friend and love problems filled every page. The whole book was hand written, an exact copy of the diary she kept during her last few years in Hogwarts, and until her 40s in the ministry, and full of moving doodles.

"Meg, I think you'd better watch the skies." Liz announced. You get used to things like this when you spend every waking hour with a Seer.

"Is a bomb going to come and kill me?"

"No but-"

"Is a thief going to fly down on a broomstick and steal my book?"

"No but-"

"Then I ain't interested."

"Wulfric's coming"

"Remind me to save him some bacon."

"with a letter"

"Oh." She actually made me close he darn book. Sugar, she made me lose my page. She shall die.

"from your parents."

"Oh my..." The morning flock of owls flew over our heads moments after I said this and Wulfric hopped down right in front of my nose, a white envelope in his beak. I turned over the envelope a few times, marvelling at how evidently muggle it was, the self adhesive strip, the little cellophane window, the beautiful stamp and the flawless white colour. Ginny gaped in astonishment. I made a mental note to give it to her father, it would be the pride of his collection.

I opened it slowly, tearing off the top with a bit of trouble. Liz's predictions had all been right,

_Megaline,_

_So sorry we had to part on such a sad note last year, I hated leaving my only daughter in such a state. I hope you are enjoying Hogwarts, your father and I have decided, not that we don't not want to order you back home right now, but that there's little we can do to stop you._

_Everyone wants you back for Christmas, your school friends especially were off put they couldn't say a proper goodbye, especially Ange. Don't worry, she made everyone promise not to guilt trip you into staying, no matter how much we miss our little dreamer._

_Please come back, it would really make my Christmas._

_Mum x_

"Well, they're not _making_ you."

"Gin, if that's not force, I don't know what is. Made you promise not to guilt trip me, how long did that last?" I almost tore the paper with frustration, they didn't even have a clue what it was like here. What horrified me every morning, what bound me to the school, like I was in here for life, but I didn't want to go home, it was me putting on the restraining orders.

"So, am I going to go?" I asked Liz but she tapped her nose knowingly.

"That's for you to find out." Thanks, so useful in my time of need.

"Great."

Staring at a ceiling never tends to give me much inspiration, but there was nothing better to look at. I could hear Ginny, Fred and George playing Exploding Snap not far from me but I couldn't join in. I had, in a way, writer's block. What a time for my imagination to fail me. JK must have been in a real rush to write this story, the gaps are so frequent it's like a caterpillar got hold of half her novel and ate holes through it! She could have least thought of little old me. But how the hell did she think Justin Finch-Fletchley just happened to be with Nearly Headless Nick at the right time in the right place? It didn't make any sense!

Just as I was thinking this the second years all stood up to leave through the porthole, as they had their Duelling Club soon. I wished Hermione a good time and turned back to staring at the ceiling.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley?" I perked up my ears as I heard Claire say his name.

"Yes, he's a Hufflepuff in second year." Holly answered, going slightly red.

"Really? You must tell me more." This was too good to be true.

"No."

"Oh come on, please!" Claire begged in the way that only Claire knew how, puppy dog eyes and batting of eyelids that made you want to strangle her. "Please, please, please!"

"Alright, alright. He agreed to meet with me, in the Great Hall in break after his Herbology lesson." Impossible. For once, I don't want to kill Claire.

"No."

"Yes, but I'm not sure whether he takes me seriously, whether he'll actually come or not. There's probably no point in me going at all." Aww, this is heart breaking.

"He will, don't worry." Claire reassured her, before I found it was my time to but in.

"Guys," They turned instantly, Claire with eyes like daggers "sorry to butt in, but I've heard a bit about Justin, and he sounds like the kind of guy that would really take a girl seriously. Real decent gent, I've heard. So go ahead, what's the worst that can happen?" Holly nodded in thanks before Claire turned her back around.

I breathed a sigh of relief before thinking of Nearly Headless Nick. Ooh, I have ideas! But they must wait until after the Duelling Club. Holly and Claire were still gossiping in the corner, poor Holly. Whenever I thought of Holly now I could only picture Justin still as rock in the Hospital Wing and poor Holly crying on his bedside. Why does everything I do end in sadness? I never meant to, I'm sorry Holly, Justin, Nick, Mrs Norris, Colin, Mum, Dad, Ange, Ginny, Liz, Stuart, Majolie, Millicent, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore. Was there anything, anyone I could touch without jinxing them?

"Anything for a friend of Harry's." Nick assured me, a grin upon his face.

"Just remember, be persuasive, mention Harry's defeat of Voldemort in first year and mention a few good people who've been Parselmouths."

"Are there any?"

"On second thoughts, don't mention it at all."

"Ok, thank you Megan." He said as he flew off. Megaline, stupid.

Everything went to plan on Monday, even Peeves past the right spot on the right time when I suggested he vandalise the trophy room. I was proud of my achievements until I saw Holly came back through the porthole late break in tears.

"I never told him I-I-" She stammered and Claire put a comforting arm around her.

"It's alright, you can tell him when he wakes up." Holly sniffed and sat cautiously in the corner.

I was about to go and comfort her myself, guilt deep in my stomach, when Ginny appeared at the porthole, also crying. She took a few tentative steps into the common room before I gave her a massive hug from behind. It was the least I could do. Oh, Ginny.

"Ginny, where've you been?" I hadn't seen Ginny all morning, after all she'd been killing cockerels and setting snakes on a ghost and a Hufflepuff.

Ginny didn't answer, just crying into my shoulder. Somehow I managed to get the poor girl upstairs to the dormitories.

"Ginny, please talk to me?"

"Where was I when Justin was petrified, Meg?" Ginny stared into my eyes, scared beyond her wits. "Where was I when Colin was petrified? Or Mrs Norris?" I noticed feathers all over her cloak, the exact shade as her hair, the same time as her. "Why am I covered in feathers? What's happening to me?"

I didn't have an answer, I just let her cry, but I too was dying inside. Everything she cried of was caused by me. I didn't have the right to comfort her when I was the criminal. If this is what will happen every time I do Dumbledore's bidding, he's going to have to find a willing house elf.

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_**REVIEW!!! Please let me know what you think, my amount of reviews have been going down :(**_

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	13. The House That Wasn't Mine

_**Sorry it's been a while, I spent a weekend and a few days writing this the first time but my whole story, every chapter, corrupted itself spontaneously with no hope of recovery :(. Of course all of my chapters were already backed up here but this one wasn't :(. It was v v depressing to have to rewrite it when I'd already written it once but I managed it in two nights, as I really wanted to get this out of the way, the corruption put me almost a week behind my deadline. V v depressing.**_

_**Enough of the sad stuff, please enjoy!**_

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_Chapter 13_

_The house that wasn't mine_

I would miss this, the strange sounds that give you nightmares at night, the mysteries behind every door, the way I would always get lost three times a week, how horrible it was walking through ghosts, even the sound of Snape's voice. If I could hear, see or experience any of those at Christmas, it might make the whole event bearable. Calm down Meg, you're being a drama queen, it's only two weeks after all. A two weeks without magic! I shuddered at the mere thought.

Ginny stuffed another textbook into my suitcase, using up the very little space that was left. We both turned to the huge pile of textbooks I hadn't managed to stuff in and sighed.

"I gotta do my homework from those books." I groaned.

"Well, you're just going to have to get another suitcase."

"Where from?" Ginny tapped her nose with a little smile.

"I'm not not telling you."

"Ginny, you know you love me?" I batted my eyelashes like mad and Ginny pouted.

"What do you want?"

"Could I please borrow your suitcase?" She thought for a moment, holding her finger to her chin, like she always did.

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm your very bestest friend?"

"Oh, alright. If you'll shut up."

"I solemnly promise that I shall shut up." I placed my hand across my chest as Ginny fetched her own, empty suitcase and started to fill it with my other books.

"Are you going to help?" She said impatiently when I sat back and let her do the work.

"Mmm mm mm, mmmmm!" I hummed and she chuckled.

"Your face!" Well, I'm glad she finds this funny, I only have to spend my whole life humming but hey, Ginny finds it funny! "You may speak." She managed between giggles and I took in a loud, exaggerated breath.

"Yes."

"How does it take that many syllables to say 'yes'?"

"It doesn't, I was trying to say it on Morse code."

"You know Morse code?" Whoa, she really is her father's daughter. Whenever I mentioned anything muggle like that Ginny's ears and eyes perked up like a dog's at mealtimes.

"When I say try...I mean make it up as I go along."

"Well that's one way." We sat there for a moment, laughing at each other, poking and giggling. It was almost time for the feast when Ginny said:

"So, are we gonna pack your bags or not?"

"Err..."

The end of term feast was as great as any and the food was, as usual, the best I'd ever tasted.

"Do you think we'll ever get used to this?" Ginny asked, between mouthfuls of the hugest sausages I've ever set eyes upon.

"What?"

"The amazing food?"

"Never."

We munched away happily at the Gryffindor table, happy to enjoy our last meal together before...it was only two weeks after all, only two weeks. Doesn't mean I dreaded it any less.

"Hey guys." Liz said from behind us, she slipped underneath the table with grace I could never achieve and made herself comfortable on the bench opposite us.

"Hey." I glanced up from my baked potato to return the smile and Ginny copied.

"Not hungry?" Ginny asked, as Liz hadn't brought her plate with her.

"Not really, saving my appetite for when I get home."

"Fair enough."

"Looking forward to going home, Meg?" Liz was almost bounding off her chair with excitement, gosh she was weird.

"No, why are you?" I replied sulkily.

"Because I get to see my boyfriend." She beamed but Ginny and I wore the same face of horror. "What's wrong?"

"You'd still go out with him, after all he's done to you?" Ginny was so appalled that her pork cutlet was going to have to wait.

"Yes, he apologised, I forgave him. Done deal."

"Liz, you're 11-"

"12 in 4 days."

"and you're a witch who goes to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere." I spelled out for her, but she still looked blank.

"And?"

"Can you not See this all going terribly wrong?"

"No." How can someone who knows the future be so dumb?

"What's your boyfriend like anyway?" Ginny asked, trying to slightly change the subject.

"He shoplifts, oh, and he's 16." Ginny's and my jaws dropped in horror. How could she date such a dodgy guy who's 16?! It's just sick!

"Got ya there!" Liz cackled as we realised the joke she'd pulled on us. Hilarious.

"You know, my mum would disown me if I had a boyfriend who so much as stole a chocolate frog card." Ginny said, finally turning back to that pork cutlet.

"Are you telling me she doesn't know who you've got your eye on now?"

"Who I've got my eye on?" To my left, Ginny's ears matched her love heart ear rings perfectly, plum red.

"You can't tell me you don't when your face is that colour. Anyway, _your_ crush has only killed two people round the school, a ghost and a cat."

"Petrified, they're petrified. They'll wake up, I know they will." Ginny murmured under her breath, more to herself than anyone else.

"Whatever, point still stands, Potter is the reason half the school are scared to go out of their common rooms, be within 500 yards of the Boy Who Lived, have nightmares in their sleep and are going home to their families when they would otherwise be enjoying Christmas a Hogwarts."

"It's not him, it's not his fault." Ginny whispered, quieter still, her face hidden from me by a veil of hair.

"Stop it, you know you're just making her upset." Why was Liz doing this? It wasn't fair on anyone.

"It's better to talk about it, to have it out in the open." Liz explained with a smile.

"Not like this, I won't have you talk to her like this." Without realising, I raised my right hand, holding my knife, to Liz. She backed off immediately, thank goodness. I hated to leave her on such a miserable note, but I wouldn't let anyone talk to Ginny like that, not even Liz.

"You alright?" I asked quietly, almost resting my head on Ginny's lap in attempt to get into her little bubble.

"I'm fine." She rose her head and yawned rather loudly.

"Sleep at all last night?"

"'Course not."

"You didn't scream this morning."

"Really? Awesome." Ginny's eyes brightened with glee, she always screamed from her nightmares in the mornings.

"Promise me you'll look after yourself over the two weeks?" I craned my head around to gain eye contact, if I didn't have this certified I would be the one screaming in the morning.

"Cross my heart, hope to die," She placed her hand over her chest and closed her eyes.

"Please do."

"stick a needle in my eye."

"Ew!" Ginny giggled as I made a face.

"I can look after myself you know."

"Really?" I raised my eyes in mock amazement and Gin stuck out her tongue at me.

Neither of us talked at breakfast, I didn't like it, too much time to think, too many things I didn't want to think about. This would be the longest we'd be separated from each other since we met, that itself was depressing, never mind how much I dreaded facing my parents. In a crisis like this, my first idea was to ask the library, but they don't exactly publish books on what to do when you have to meet up with your parents after running away. It wasn't that I hated them, at least I hope not, but life was so much better here than it ever had been at home. My parents often didn't pay attention to me, I was just like the puppy left alone in the park without a leash, the owners too pre-occupied talking to their friends to even play fetch. I'd much rather be the puppy always on a short leash, continually told off and shouted at when they barked in the night. That would be better, better than nothing. Ginny has no idea how lucky she is. When I was younger I was horrible in lessons and tried my utmost to get into trouble at every opportunity. But nothing could make my parents _see_ me. They were the perfect parents to Lucas and Matt, giving assistance to their talents. They refused to recognise my talent. It's no wonder I locked myself in my room and wrote and wrote and wrote. No wonder.

"Everyone's leaving." Ginny remarked quietly. She was right, barely anyone was left in the Great Hall.

"I'd better go." But I made no move to getting up, I didn't even touch my suitcase.

"I'll come with you." Ginny practically pulled me by the hand to Hogsmeade Station, where the Hogwarts Express stood bold as brass. I don't want to go.

"Meg, promise me you'll write, everyday."

"Every three?"

"Why?"

"I do have a life!"

"Every two. Promise?"

"Promise." We held pinkies for a moment and then hugged fiercely.

"Bye!" We called to each other before I stepped on the train and I felt an ache when I left her on the platform, alone. I wandered down the corridor of the train but only hostile glares (one from Liz) greeted me from every apartment. I eventually found one almost empty apartment, the only occupant being Luna.

"May I sit here?" I asked politely as I stepped through the sliding door.

"Of course." I slid my suitcase on the shelf, with great difficulty, and pulled out one of my favourite fictions. The rolling countryside was still passing past the window when I finished it, and Luna still had her nose stuck in _The Quibbler_.

"Luna, can I please borrow a _Quibbler_?" She looked up a little vacantly and reached into a little blue bag, covered in beach shells.

"Here you go." She handed me the tabloid but I was still admiring the pretty bag.

"Did you make that?"

"With my mum."

"Oh."

"It's very pretty."

"Thanks."

Due to reading of bizarre magazines, we didn't keep up conversation, instead talking occasionally about Blibbering Humdingers and Crumple Horned Snorcacks. It helped keep the butterflies in my stomach from beating their wings too hard.

It took me by shock when I spotted cars and roads outside the window. London was below us and, for that moment, I was completely alien to every aspect of it. Everywhere I looked people stopped at traffic lights, shops shone neon lights to attract customers, urban teenagers were getting up to no good, adults in severely smart suits were drinking coffee outside a café.

I was very reluctant to leave the train when it stopped at the station, dragging my feet as if they suddenly had the density of lead.

The station was packed, I didn't follow Luna, although she urged me to, I could see her father and her embrace and it was a picture perfect scene I knew I could never have. My parents weren't at the station, both sides of the barrier. My parents were never late for anything, if they weren't here now they were probably never going to be. This is it! I told myself, you can go and sleep in the Hogwarts Express, you don't have to go home! But I knew my parents would worry, Dumbledore and Ginny would worry and Wulfric needed somewhere to spread his wings. So, without thinking about it, I caught the first coach to Poole.

Hours passed like seconds on that coach holding a complaining owl on my knee, like a warning siren to keep other passengers away from me and my weirdness. I had to walk the last mile by foot, up Burt's Hill. When I finally reached South Street I was cursing my parents under my breath. My every step came with a new way to hurt them, to show them how much I hated home, how much I loved Hogwarts, my new life, which they weren't allowed to ruin.

When I passed number 84, I heard the most beautiful windblown music. It echoed through the air with a single, harmonic melody. I may not play but, growing up with Lucas, I had a very good idea of quality when it came to music, and this was the very best. The music worked inside me to strengthen my plods to strides and carry away my bad thoughts. For a moment I'd completely forgiven my parents and came to an understanding with them in my head.

But the melody twisted, the tempo changed and with it, my mood. When I was paces away from my house I had a powerful desire to run into the house, scream that I would be staying at Hogwarts for every holiday from now on and lock myself in my room. It seemed a very appealing notion at the time.

I lifted the latch to number 100, South Street, but something stopped me from opening the little gate. The music, the wonderful music was playing louder still. I only realised then that it had been coming from this house, my house. I raised my eyes to the window on this side, my bedroom window and saw there a complete stranger. She was about my age, 11, and had beautiful, blonde, elbow length, corkscrew curls. She held a golden flute comfortably in her hands and wore a purple school hoodie emblazoned with _'Munich 2007'._ It was evidently from an abroad school concert she'd done (I think Munich is in Germany), which is pretty impressive at our age, I'd obviously never done anything like that. A boy stood behind her, pointing to the notes as she played, his short blonde hair, lanky figure and pencil behind his ear made him instantly recognisable as my brother Lucas. He looked curiously like the blonde girl, they had exactly the same eyes and hair colour.

What was stranger, was that it didn't look like what I first thought it was, my brother holding a music lesson in my disused bedroom, she was too familiar to her surroundings for that. It didn't look like my room either, they'd redecorated it. It now had pale green wallpaper and all my treasured books were out of view, on their usual home was stacks upon stacks of music scores and in the corner was a hockey stick. They'd even changed the bed, mine was much smaller than the double bed in the corner now. Were they throwing me out? Did I get the wrong house? Who was this blonde girl?

The lesson finished in the bedroom that wasn't mine and Lucas left the room with a wave. The girl closed her score book on the stand and pulled her flute apart, she turned around to put the pieces in the case, showing me the back of the hoodie, where her name would be printed. It read _'Megaline Andrews'._

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_**Soz that it isn't to my usual standard and extremely short but plz take into account tht I had a very depressing week :(.**_

**_Please REVIEW! And tell me who you think the blonde girl is, who's the real Megaline etc._**

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	14. Is There A Place Like Home?

_**Hey guys. How's your half terms been? Mine's been so busy I struggled to write one chapter, my rangers group decided to drag us on a few nights out and I am so slow with pencil and paper! Also I've been trying to publish artist's impressions of the characters in my story to deviant art, hasn't gone very well but I've finished Meg, I'll give you guys a link when I've published her.**_

_**Thank you again for all the continued support, favourites and subscriptions. They mean everything to me!**_

_**Let me know what you thought of the Wizard Of Oz bit, I thought it was a bit tacky so I'm open to suggestions on what I could type instead.  
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_**Keep reading, and enjoy, Kelda  
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_Chapter 14_

_Is There A Place Like Home?_

Panic and utter bewilderment rushed through me like a drug. Who was she? Who was I? The whole thing agonised my head with befuddlement (which, believe it or not, is a word). My parents often said "Well, I bet there's not another Megaline Andrews in the world" ha. So who was the real Megaline? I'm not getting anywhere, and if I stand here looking gormless for much longer she'll see me. But what happens if we hold eye contact? Will a black hole appear between us and suck as both up? Maybe I'm getting a bit too drastic.

To be honest, I cared very little about the other Megaline, I was tired, hungry and wanted to go home. The other Megaline left my bedroom quickly as I thought this, and I swear the bed just got smaller. I want to go home. Feeling stupidly like Dorothy in _The Wizard Of Oz,_ I wished again and the walls turned considerably bluer. I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go home! The shelf at the back of the room was filled again with my favourite fictions and the hockey stick had disappeared. Feeling on top of the world, I rang the doorbell with a sudden ache to see my parents and brothers.

_Driing! Driing!_

Matt opened the door, dashing in his new work suit and new haircut.

"Meg!" He called in relief before I pulled him into a bone-breaking hug.

"I'm back, I'm back, it's ok." I hid my grin in his shoulder and closed the door behind me, I wouldn't worry about the other Megaline for now, I deserved a break. Plus, there's no point in dwelling on something you have no idea about.

"Good to have you back sis, good to have you back."

We held each other for a moment before releasing and then I realised my brother wore a face of utter confusion.

"No offence, but why are you here?" He drew his eyebrows together and squinted his eyes, as if he was looking at a very complicated algebra sum, well, the face other people would use in that situation, Matt could solve them in seconds.

"Why not? Didn't Mum tell you I was coming home?" This is very odd, very odd indeed.

"Yes, she's down at King's Cross Station picking you up, she has been all day since its so far away, but she said she'd be back by now..."

"She wasn't at the station. I looked everywhere." I shook my head and Matt looked even more frustrated.

"Did you wait?"

"Matt, there's no point in waiting for _our_ parents, they _always_ turn up on time."

"Fair enough." I followed Matt into the living room and flopped down an the sofa while my brother started dialling on the home phone, trust Matt, always thinks of the sensible action first. I'd have paced about muttering under my breath.

"Hi" Matt picked up the phone and started pacing, more of my brother's typical behaviour.

"Calm down, Mum."

"Mum, she's right here." He was pacing so fast now that it felt like I was watching a tennis match.

"Wait a minute, I'll put you on speaker phone." Matt placed the phone on the coffee table and perched next to me on the sofa, we both sat on the edges of our chairs to hear Mum.

"Meg, Meg'lin darling, are you there?" Her voice came loud and clear from the phone's speaker, but so did all of the emotion she'd experienced when she didn't find me. I just hoped the guilt didn't show so thickly in my voice.

"Hi Mum, it's me." I leant a little toward the phone subconsciously, although I knew I didn't need to.

"Oh honey! Where were you?"

"I waited for you for a bit, then when the train didn't come I took a bus back home." Back home. Goodness, sounds like I just went to Hogwarts on a little day outing, _feels_ like it. Feels like it never happened.

"But you weren't at the station."

"Yes I was, did you check on the other side of the barrier?"

"It didn't let me in, honey."

"That's odd." I swear I saw Holly's parents there...and she's definitely muggle born.

"I wasn't expecting it to."

"Other muggle parents were there."

"Really? I didn't see any children who looked like they just came back from Hogwarts either."

"Maybe you just came at the wrong time." Matt suggested.

"No, I've been here since 11.00." Predictable, the train only arrived at 11.30.

"Maybe..." I wavered but I couldn't think of another explanation, or even another lie.

"But Meg, there isn't anything here to suggest Hogwarts is real, nothing." It all fits, everything fits with what Dumbledore told me...I just don't know if I wanted to tell them. The created worlds, the way I was purposely brought up to love the Harry Potter books...it felt like my secret...my shame...my burden. Even telling them where I actually was would be a line too many.

"I think I know why...I'll explain later."

"Ok then, I love you honey, see you later."

"Love you too Mum, bye." Matt placed the phone back in its cradle behind him and spun back round, trapping my eyes before I could escape.

"Meg."

"That's my name."

"Where were you?" I averted my gaze to my now very interesting knees.

"I'm gonna go and unpack." I announced and left Matt frustrated behind me.

I paused before entering my room, catching my breath for a moment, hoping like hell that the other Megaline was truly gone. What if she wasn't? But Matt knew who I was, surely the other Megaline belonged purely to the HP world? I hope so. The door opened with a loud click that threw me slightly, but I gave it a little push and I was in. Everything was exactly as I left it, if a little cleaner. If I hadn't seen the girl in my room, I wouldn't be watching where I trod, not making a noise in case the owner came back. But it was completely vacant, and had been for months. Without further ado, I persuaded myself to stop being silly and dragged my suitcase to my chest of drawers and started to wrestle with the zip.

I usually hate clearing up but tonight was peaceful and a good time to clear my head. I had a nice little rhythm going on, pick up the clothing, unfold the clothing, shake the clothing, refold the clothing, put it in a drawer. I'm a bit fussy to say the least. It was strange to be back, very strange indeed. But I realised it was very like what my head teacher said when we came back from the summer holidays: "All too soon, children, it shall feel like you've never been away." But I didn't want that. I wanted to see my family again, check they were alright (I'm slightly more sane in the head now), write to Ginny, check on Ange, go back home. Christmas here was gonna be awkward.

After an hour up in my room (it takes three hours in car to get from our area to London) I concluded I couldn't prolong the awkwardness anymore and tip toed to the door immediately across the corridor from mine, Matt's.

It was a path I trod too many times, seeking my brother's help when my horrid teachers set me impossible homework. He always listened to me was patient, honest and never told me to shut up or go away. He was who I always turned to at home, who always heard me out when the others didn't even realise I had an opinion to voice. When people at school found out about my magic, when I was bullied, I always told Matt everything that had happened. He would listen, give me a hug, often turn the problem into a joke and sort it out once and for all. I was shocked in those days that he had time for his baby sister, when he had a company to help run. He doesn't act like a businessman who happens to still live with his family, but like a house bound teenager too young for his boots and just happens to have a major role in leading one of England's top banks. Which isn't a title he likes to throw about a lot, to be honest.

I say all of this about my brother, I'm known for exaggerating, but he's still a perfectly ordinary brother in front of Lucas and my parents. He still teases and play fights with me just like Lucas. Sometimes it was almost like Matt was two different people, the caring brother who helps me out with never ending patience and the Lucas twin who likes to poke and tickle me to kingdom come. But that was back when I was nine-ish, they're too busy with work now to bother with their little sister.

So it's no surprise, none at all, how glad I was that it was Matt who stayed behind and not Lucas.

"Good afternoon." I announced as I let myself into his room.

"Did I hear you knock?" He asked, not looking up from a huge stack of paper work.

"No, just your imagination again I'm afraid."

"Huh, wonder who I share _that _gift with?"

"In case you're wondering, I haven't been wandering in London for the past few months with a dangerously over active imagination."

"I never said you did." He held up his hands in denial, finally swivelling round on his chair to face me and turning away from his paperwork.

"For all you know, I could have."

"What did you come in here for?"

"Is that how you treat your little sister?"

"Yes."

"Ok then, to tell you something."

"Go on then, have a seat." He gestured to the bed and I plunked myself down without further ado.

"It's...a secret." I twined my fingers together and bit my lip with nerves.

"Well, _I_ won't tell anyone...but if it's to do with why mum couldn't find you, then shouldn't we all know?"

"It is...but...I don't know."

"Well, start with me and we'll work our way on from there."

"You already know this year is the year the chamber's opened and I'm best friends with Ginny...which is...heart breaking a lot of the time. There's stuff I have to watch her do, let her do, help her do that not only petrify innocent students but...it tears her up inside. And I can't do a thing about it, ever.

"But, somehow, it's worse than that.

"You know all of the things in JK's books that happened spontaneously and were never explained?"

"Yeah, there's loads in the second book."

"Well, someone has to fill in the pot holes, tape up the paper chains, otherwise everything falls out of place and, well, the butterfly effect happens."

"I'm guessing that person's you?"

"Naturally."

"But I don't get it, how can this work if everyone at the school knows about the Harry Potter books, if they know pretty much what's going to happen through out the whole year? The muggle borns anyway. Or is that why Slytherin wanted them all killed?"

"Nice try, but no. It's complicated."

"Hey, I can do you a rubiks cube in 40 minutes, try me."

"Ok...basically in this world nothing supernatural or magical exists, only in our dreams. But when somebody creates a world in their mind, when their imagination is strong enough, it creates a world. In this world everything they dreamt up is true and the media or knowledge of this dream is non existent.

"For example, Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione etc. do not exist to this world, neither does anything else supernatural, but the HP books and films do not exist in the Hogwarts' world."

"Wow. So, if I got into the Twilight one, I could beat up Edward Cullen?"

"Yes, but why?"

"Didn't you know? I had to dump Hattie because she was infatuated with him, she thought he was God or something."

"Yeah, well, good luck with getting into the Twilight world."

"Ta. How do you get between worlds anyway?"

"Dumbledore wired it all up, with really advanced magic, so that I and Wulfric of all beings, can slip between the two worlds simply by wanting to go there enough."

"Oh, I see."

"What?"

"You didn't want to come home?"

"Err...let's think...world of magic which has not only Hogwarts but all my best friends and the most awesome Christmases or a perfectly ordinary cottage far away from all my great friends and precisely where nothing interesting ever happens. Hmm, hard decision."

"I see your point."

"So...how much should we tell our parents?" I asked awkwardly and we both ummed and erred for a few minutes, just before mum's car pulled on the driveway.

"Sugar." My brother muttered in a hurry to race down the stairs.

"Ten pots worth." I muttered back, tearing after him.

"Act normal."

"I'll try." We both plastered cheesy grins on our faces before letting her in.

"Hello honey!" Mum said before pulling me into a tight hug. Dad seized me afterwards and Lucas touched fists rather awkwardly. It was weird to see them all but weirder still when they embraced me the way they had when I was maybe 6.

"Shall we eat, I'm starving." Announced Dad and I felt my tummy ache in agreement, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since a pumpkin pasty on the train which had been 'lunch' and it was now 7.00. Clever.

There was an air of awkwardness in the room when Lucas, Matt, Dad and I took our seats in the living room and Mum escaped to the kitchen to shove some pizzas in the oven. More than air, it was like treacle that was stopping us from doing anything but staring at the wall.

"So, sis. What's Hogwarts like?" Asked Lucas, in an almost jokey tone. I glanced at my father and realised they wore identical expressions, they had no doubt I was pulling their legs.

"Why not read one of the Harry Potters? They can probably tell you more than I can." I jeered and left the room before I murdered my brother. They didn't have a clue what I'd gone through, not an inkling.

"Well done Lucas." I heard Matt say before I closed the door behind me.

I didn't want to talk to anyone in my family, especially when they didn't even try to believe or understand a word that comes out of my mouth. How could I persuade them that Hogwarts exists? I didn't even want to try. Stroking Wulfric made me feel calmer, at least he understood and he was only a bird. But Wulfric stayed silent and friendly while held and stroked him in my arms. The cage lay forgotten at the other end of the room, I didn't want him caged up, my only friend here (apart from Matt) reduced to the confinements they give a canary.

Whilst day dreaming, my eyes wondered to the spot where I'd dumped all my non clothes luggage, including my Harry Potter books.

There must be some medical name for people like me, it wasn't a genetic virus but maybe a contagious one that gave me the irresistible urge to keep reading, even if your mum is shouting at the top of her voice..

"Meg'lin, your dinner's getting cold!" She shouted up the stairs.

"Can I please just finish my chapter?"

"Meg. Dinner. Now!" Am I the only one feeling a bit of deja vu here? My pizza was indeed almost frozen again by the time I managed to tear myself away from the book, but I wasn't hungry.

"Are you feeling alright, Meg?" Mum asked when she realised I hadn't even touched a slice.

"Not hungry." I muttered to my shoes.

"Lucas was just being a prick earlier." Matt shot my brother the evils and I bit back a grin.

"All I did was ask her how school was!" Oh yes, always the innocent.

"Maybe our Meg over reacted a little." Mum suggested, trying in vain to keep the peace.

"Don't _'our Meg'_ me. I'm not 6." Every head turned as if watching a tennis match, but three of four faces were shocked I had a racket to play with.

"So how was school Megalyne?" Dad asked, pronouncing my name in his own little strange way and butting in for the first time.

"Better than here." My parents took that for the final word as I sunk back into my chair but Lucas always had another question to ask.

"How can you explain that there's no evidence for your school's existence?" He jeered, it made me jump a little, the little faith he had in me.

"I showed you Wulfric didn't I? And my letters."

"So? Those could easily have been faked."

"What do you want next? Me to pack you in my suitcase and smuggle you on board?"

"That would be cool."

"How about a signed autograph from Ginny Weasley?"

"Forged."

"My spellbooks?"

"Fan sites."

"My wand?"

"It's a stick."

"What then?"

"I know what." He purposely built up the tension with his little gap, drawing every eye towards him and increasing my thirst to kill him by the second. "Bring Ginny Weasley back here." Oh. What would Dumbledore say? "Matt says you're such good friends, why not have her over for your birthday?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because doing that's just admitting my family's a failure, asking me to do that says that you've lost all faith in me and that I'm a complete stranger now. I might as well live down the road, I never feel so alone than when I'm in this house."

"No, that's giving in, that's admitting _you're_ a failure Meg."

"You know what? I don't care." And for the second time that day, I went to hide in my room.

_Driing_

_Driing_

_Driing_

_Driing_

Somebody answer the door!

_Driing_

_Driing_

Well _I'm_ not going to answer it.

_Driing_

_Driing_

Ok, ok! I'm coming!

I dragged myself from my room and down the stairs, it was early, very early, and someone was going to die for waking me up. In short, I was not in a very good mood. I opened the latch and twisted the door knob hastily and soon couldn't see as that someone thrust themselves at me.

"Meg! You're back!"

"Don't remind me." Angie released me from her hold and stood back for a moment, wearing a frown identical to mine.

"You sound like Marvin from Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

"Well, at least I don't have a head the size of a planet."

"S'pose. Aren't you glad to be home?" Oh, Ange.

"Are you kidding?"

"Well, I thought it'd be nice for you to get away from all the chaos at school." She bit her lip nervously and swayed on the spot, it was a common habit of hers.

"I guess so, but I feel so lonely here, and I miss Ginny."

"Did you not miss me?" Err...

"Of course I did, silly!" I assured her.

"Oh, good."

"Well, come on in then." I gestured a hand and she followed me through the hallway to the living room.

"It's been so long since I've been in here." She wondered a little and then nicked the best seat.

"Same." I sat down next to her and we exchanged nervous smiles.

"So, tell me about Hogwarts." Here eyes brightened in glee as she asked me and I breathed a sigh of relief. She believed me!

"Well..."

"Is Harry as hot as he is in the films?!" She interrupted.

"I think you would be a better judge of that."

"You should get yourself a hot wizard boyfriend, and introduce me to one too!"

"Err, I'm not quite sure I want one."

"Why not?"

"Stop it, you're just like Liz." I stopped still when I mentioned her name. I hated leaving on a bad note, but it couldn't be helped when she was hurting Ginny.

"Meg, what's wrong?" She cocked her head to the side like a little bird.

"Let me just get this off my chest first, ok?" She nodded and I grabbed the first pen and paper my fingers touched.

_Liz,_

_Sorry we had to leave on such a bad note, I'm sure you know where I stand with Ginny. I don't care if it does turn out that it is Harry, I only care that Ginny's alright, ok? I really hope we can be friends again, I miss you just as much as I miss Ginny, really._

_Strange to be home isn't it?_

_I doubt I'll ever get the hang of doing muggle things again._

_Have a good time with your boyfriend and a nice Christmas, even if it is spoiled by Joy._

_Meg x_

"_Spoiled_ by joy?" Ange read over my shoulder.

"Liz's little sister."

"Oh."

"What happened?"

"She upset Ginny, I told her to back off."

"How?"

"With a knife." Ange gasped in shock, her eyes wide as saucers.

"I don't think you should be sending that to someone so dangerous!"

"Not Liz, silly, me!"

"What?!" Ange backed off from me, eyes the size of saucers.

"She was saying mean things to Ginny while we were having breakfast. When she didn't stop I raised my right hand and she ran."

"Oh. Sorry."

"You're forgiven." Ange managed to look sorrowful for a mere second before going all bright eyed and fluffy tailed again (her patronus would definitely be a squirrel, no doubt).

"Tell me more about Hogwarts!"

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**_Tell me what you thought!_**

_**Review, or I shall send the basilisk on you!**_

_**I think I've been eating too much vanilla ice cream**_

_**Thank you for reading!

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	15. Awkward!

_**Hi again guys, thanks again for all the reviews, subscriptions, or favourites I've gained from you amazing people over the past week :).**_

_**Publishing is going to slooooow dooooown majorly for a week or two for a few very important reasons: Gym and Dance competition in school coming up which we are sneaking in every practice we can for, ballet practice is going up a notch since I'm now a completely diff grade, I need to actually practice for singing or I shall be murdered, I'm expected to give in essays for this and that, I have a life, and my doc limit is being pushed (please note I originally put my chapter limit for this story at 20 chapters, that is not going to happen, at this rate, it's loads longer than the HP), so I'm just gonna just leave it for a week. The only action writing wise over the next week will be editorial so, if you get withdrawal symptoms, reread from the top in a few day's time and you might find things that genuinely weren't there before.**_

_**Enjoy the chapter, while you can x

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_Chapter 15_

_Awkward!_

Life was dull in Dorset. It was usually dull and boring, but in winter the whole county went into hibernation. At least in the summer you could take a walk through the woods, curse the sun for being so hot, get lost, realise wild ponies or peacocks have eaten your picnic, find a map that points you in the wrong direction, break your shoes and have to walk barefoot in the squelchy mud, scream in happiness when you come across a payphone, find that no taxis drive to this area, walk 100 miles back home, barefoot, in time for the next morning and hey, you've killed a whole day! 24 hours if you're lucky.

My usual solution of course was to write, write until my blisters had blisters. But now, it was very strange, but sitting down with paper and pen made me feel trapped in a cage, kept from being free to fly. I missed Hogwarts like a stomach ache and the additions of losing Ginny and Liz just made it worse. I still wrote to both of them of course, Liz replied but never mentioned what had happened, but it wasn't the same. I wasn't quite stupid enough to have Ginny call me, since what happened when her brother tried the same approach.

There was no one but Ange who could distract me from my homesickness, hence I felt dizzy and exhausted at the end of every single day, from watching a hyper squirrel destroy my house. Yes, just watching her pulled all the life force out of me, but she had a few family trips with her little brothers which she was dragged along to. But at least their parents wanted a lot of 'alone time' in which to save their marriage so Ange and I got to 'babysit' her little horrors. Which, to us, actually meant stay up late with said horrors playing guitar hero, send them off to bed, shout at them, lock the door, play guitar hero and watch cartoons until 5 in the morning.

But there was too much time in the mornings, and worry about Hogwarts stop me from lying in on most days. How was the Polyjuice Potion going? Had I made a mistake that could turn fatal? Did Liz really line Millicent's cloak with cat hairs? Was Ginny alright? Was Ginny alright???

I wished I could pack my suitcase, right this second, and hop on board the Knight Bus to Hogwarts. But I mustn't think of that. At least I'd see Ginny then. But I owed far too much to Ange, and she wanted me to meet up with Helen and Jenny tomorrow, which was going to be awkward. They definitely wouldn't believe me, no chance there. I didn't want to face them and see their faces when I tried to explain, I didn't even want to pop by just to say Merry Christmas. But for Ange, I guess I'd have to.

Hogwarts wasn't the only thing playing on my mind, I still had to take a deep breath before walking into my own room. I was so paranoid about the other Megaline sometimes it meant I had to go into Matt's room and ask him if he could see me, if he knew who I was. Angie wasn't the only incentive which kept me here, but the scare of seeing Her. I knew I would see her on the way home (home being Hogwarts), no way out of that, and I was dreading it. The once beautiful music haunted my nightmares and I kept jumping when I heard any woodwind from Lucas' CDs.

"Merry Christmas!" Ange grinned in front of me, sporting a brand new fluffy hat and a coat that made her look like a Dalmation.

"Not yet." I hid my face under my scarf, my only protection from the prevailing wind face-wise.

"Merry Christmas Eve then, fussy pants!"

"Are we there yet?" I moaned like an 8-year-old and dragged my feet along the icy pavement.

"Nearly, why are you so cold? Hogwarts is in Scotland, this must be really mild to you?"

"I've barely experienced Hogwarts in the winter."

"Fair enough, Did it snow?"

"A bit, I watched from inside."

"You're such a baby." She nudged me in the ribs, a huge grin forever plastered on her face. I couldn't help smiling too.

"How much further is it?" I whined and she giggled again.

"Quit moaning!"

"I'm co-old!"

"We're like...5 yards away from the place." She gestured far up the road to a small cottage, typical of our area. It was one hundred times further away than she said, and I'm not exaggerating.

"I thought we were going to go shopping, hence I got ready to be moany for the whole day."

"Hence I decided it'd be better to do something we all love..." She trailed off mysteriously and a slightly awkward silence was held as she waited for me to ask. She was quite right to change the event, my loathing for clothes shopping is so bad that often I would excuse myself to go to the loo and my friends would find me hours later hiding in heaven, aka the library. When this silence was held for far too long by Angie's term she crossed her arms and put out her foot to stop me walking any further.

"What?"

"Don't you want to know?"

"Not particularly."

Three guesses what it was: Guitar Hero. I have to say I wasn't a very good partier, I spent the whole time looking at the clock and panicking. Because, of course, it was Liz's birthday and I hadn't sent her anything, texted her, or even spoken to her on the phone. 'Twas depressing.

"Come on Meg, I'll challenge you!" Proposed Helen and I half smiled.

"You'll win."

"No I won't! Just give it a try, ok?"

"Ok." Who is she kidding? It was her Guitar Hero after all.

"You're doing really well." She said proudly when I finally hit the right keys at the right time (this was hard mode, I'm not that bad).

"Huh, considering." It was slightly strange to be in Helen's house, with Jenny there too, I'd never been round either of their houses before. I was so glad Angie thought of something we could physically do, the moment the music was gone the silences lasted forever, but the conversation didn't turn towards

Hogwarts, not until the evening that is...

"So...Meg...could you tell us a bit about Hogwarts please?" I could tell by Jenny's expression that Ange had told her to be nice, but everyone wanted to hear, even Angie, who'd heard far too much about the place, fell silent at the table.

"Err...where do I start?" Every eye turned to mine, hanging on to the pause, I felt like jumping for joy, I'd never captured an audience before. Even Helen's baby sister was still in her high chair, and Helen's parents held their tongues. "It's-it's wonderful, the most wondrous place you could ever go. Ginny and I got lost down all the confusing corridors and staircases so many times in the first few weeks that we would spend the whole lesson simply getting there! Now, of course, we have the common sense to follow everyone else, like blind sheep, when we're moving round school. Everything's exactly like the book said, the trick steps, hidden passageways, moving portraits, house tables, colossal size, strange teachers, weird teachers, scary teachers, okay-ish teachers, everything!"

"What are Harry, Ron and Hermione like?" Queried Helen, smiling at the mere thought. They all found it a privilege that they've a friend, who went to Hogwarts, _the_ Hogwarts.

"Brilliant, truly awesome and unbelievable...the stuff of legend."

I got home far later than I had planned, it only left an hour and a half to talk to Liz, which would probably be far too short for the conversation I was planning. Apart from ringing to say 'Happy Birthday' I'd also sent Wulfric down with a large bag of chocolate and presents, but he still hadn't come back, so I was rather worried about him too.

"Mum, can I please use the phone after you?" She nodded whilst talking monotonously to someone evidently boring behind her desk. She'd probably be on that phone for the next half hour. Matt was very amused when I started pacing, whilst performing a thorough inspection of our shop-bought Christmas tree. It was a 'special' tree with plastic needles and branches, the little lights were dotted all round it in the cheapest and tackiest way possible and mum forbid us to hang baubles on it, as it would 'spoil its beauty'. In short, I hated it.

"Thank you very much Mr Thompson, bye." Mum moved the phone from her ear and placed it back in the cradle. "It's all yours."

"Thanks Mum." I raced upstairs, phone in hand, and lay down on my bed without hesitation (well if the other Megaline was here, at least I'd have squashed her nice and flat). Before I remembered that I hadn't really memorised Liz's number yet.

When I was finally settled I punched the keys in impatiently and felt each beep of the phone on the other end stretch on for eternity.

"Hello?" I could hear it was a little girl, her throat croaky with a cold.

"Hello Joy, could you pass me onto your sister please?"

"How do you know my name?" The poor girl sounded scared of my knowledge, but I reassured her.

"Your sister's told me _all_ about you."

"Really? What did she say?"

"Mostly how annoying you are."

"I'm not annoying, I swear!" This tiny, innocent voice piped up down the line, I didn't believe her for a second, but bless her little cotton socks!

"No doubt, could you pass me onto your sister please?"

"Ok...LIZ!!! PHONE!!!" That's it, my eardrum has burst. That little terror has one _huge _pair of lungs. "She's coming." You better hope she is.

"Err...hello?" Liz!!

"Hello. It's me."

"Hello, me, nice of you to call."

"It's Meg."

"Oh! Hi!"

"Hi again."

"You alright?"

"Bored, but fine thanks. You?"

"I'm good."

"Oh, happy birthday!"

"Thank you!"

"Has it been?"

"Yeah, best so far."

"Good, good."

"Yep."

"What does it feel like being 12?"

"A lot like it does being 11."

"I guess."

"Did you have fun with your boyfriend?"

"Of course, we went down to the beach."

"That must have been horrible this time of year!"

"It wasn't actually, you just need to wrap up warm and take a dog."

"You have a dog?!"

"Yeah, Joy adores her, and she adores Joy. Probably the only person who does."

"What's her name?"

"Who? Joy? Joy."

"No, silly, the dog!"

"Oh! Bonny."

"Aww."

It was bizarre to be putting up my stocking in front of my door, it felt completely unnatural and way too early. Christmas had crept up behind me all too fast this year and I couldn't believe Father Christmas was visiting tonight.

He doesn't visit Hogwarts students, which is strange if you think about it. I mean, I know he isn't real but you'd think someone in Hogwarts would take the liberty to drop a bit of candy in a sock or something. But then again the whole Father Christmas thing originated from our generous Saint Nick, who, of course, was Christian, and Christians would never accept our society, they were the ones who led the witch burnings hundreds of years ago. Which is all rather prejudiced if you ask me.

I stayed up almost all night, staring at the ceiling, and thinking of Wulfric, who was still out delivering Liz's birthday presents and everyone's Christmas presents. It was a bit much for such a small bird, but he was very keen to prove his worth, so I let him, but I regretted it now. What if his extra baggage blew him disastrously off course? Or exhausted him so much he had to land in a busy city or something similar?

I can see why Matt always calls me a worry pot. I'm filled to the brim with that stuff.

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_**Guys**_,_** I have only just realised that I never actually published this, so you went almost two weeks without hearing a peep and not having a clue why! I feel bad :(.**_

_**I am now double checking my chapters as there's still one which was never published (oops) which I shall sort out momentarily.

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	16. I Guess These Things Skip A Generation

**_Hey Guys! Wish me lluck, I am literally shaking in boots from nerves for a Dance Competition tomoz :(. I'm not the best dancer but hopefully, if I don't drop Rosie, then we should all survive. IF._**

**_Sorry I've been so busy recently but hopefully this was worth waiting for, oh, and a Belated Merry Christmas, trust me to be 3 months behind...

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_**_Chapter 16_

_I Guess These Things Skip A Generation_

If you'd have told me a few months ago that the following Christmas morning I'd be hiding under my sheets and wishing to be in a school of magic where house elves did the cooking and cleaning, I would have told you to go and get a reality check, and a cell at the local mental hospital while you're at it. But you would also have scored top marks in a Divination Owl.

"Morning Meg!" Lucas shouted in my ear.

"AAAHHH!" Oops.

"Yeesh, sis!" Serves him right I spilt boiling hot chocolate all the way down his favourite shirt, serves him right indeed.

"Oopsy Daisy." I sung a little too merrily as I ushered him out of my room.

"Merry Christmas to you too!" He said once I'd slammed the door behind him.

I got dressed as slowly as I could, and then seized my Santa stocking, swung it over my back and plodded downstairs. My mother beamed as I walked into the living room and sat myself on the floor, as was the custom on Christmas morning.

"So what did you get Meg?" Asked Matt, also beaming. I noticed my brothers didn't have a stocking, which was very strange as my mum usually did plenty for all of us (yes, I know Santa isn't real).

"Where's your stocking?"

"Luke and I told Santa we thought we were a bit too old for one this year."

"Really? You can't go a Christmas without a present from Santa!" Great, now I sound like some sulky 11-year-old in a cheap, American, Christmas film. Especially as we say Santa in our family, courtesy of cheap, American Christmas films.

"Meg, I'm 20. Now, are you going to open that stocking before I get any older?"

"Ok." Every eye turned to my every move as I upturned my stocking onto the floor. I rifled through all of the little trinkets and held up the best while my audience oohed and aahed behind me. There were: mini HP quiz yourselves...a mini selection of heroes...a pocket torch...a keyring...and some multi coloured hair bands and pencils. I beamed at my mother and reminded her to thank Father Christmas if she ever saw him, as was year after year tradition.

"Shall we have breakfast?" Dad announced, rather than asked, clapping his hands as he stood up.

Mum made the most delicious English breakfast I'd ever eaten. There were hash browns, scrambled egg, peas, sausages and I left the glorious bacon until last.

"Thanks Mum, that was amazing." Mum beamed when I praised her.

"Glad you enjoyed it. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thanks." Err...ish.

"Matthew, could you help me get everything into the car?" Matt groaned when Mum turned to him but goody-two-shoes Lucas piped up instead.

"I will, Mum." He stood up from his chair like a proper gent, nose raised to the skies.

"Alright, then." They both left to heave several boxes full of presents into the boot of the car. There was a reason why we'd moved to boring Dorset when I was little older than five: my grandparents.

It was with some reluctance that I swung my Santa stocking over my shoulder, seized my mobile for company, and hid in the back of the family car. I loved Granny and Grandpops dearly, but the trip there was still so long I often fall asleep on the way back, even after we moved. When I say family car, I really mean it, the thing was not only huge but very old, cranky, falling apart and even still stunk of dogs from the previous owner. Mum tried her best to mask the smell, but nothing would do the trick; we all got used to it soon enough, I guess.

_'Im soo BORED!'_ My fingers danced across my flimsy keypad in urgency to reply, but Liz texted back seconds after I pressed send.

_'How long is it to from urs to ur grans?'_

_''Bout half hr'_

_'Ur so impatient!'_

_'O, I no'_

_'So wot did u get from Santa?"_

_'Chocs, torch, hairbands...etc' _Plus a few Harry Potter fanbooks, but don't you worry about that.

_'Cool I got 5 cds'_

_'V kul'_

_':)'_

_'XD'_ I didn't get an answer for about five minutes after this, it was very weird and I'm not the most patient of people so, _"Liz, you still alive down there?"_

_'Im fine idiot wot's ur grans name?'_

_'Leanne Andrews y?' _I held my breath for the next text, Liz does know everything after all.

_'I...don't no how to say this but...'_ Oh, spit it out!

_'Wot Liz?'_

_'Just do wot I say wen I say ok?'_

_'Ok'_

_'It's not like shes in danger, u just need to no.' _Could have told me that _before_ I had a heart attack!

_'Wot?'_

_'I can't tell you.'_

_'Uve gotta b kidding anywayz weve just pulled up c ya x'_

_'I shall txt x'_

That was strange, you think she'll let me know when she decides to stop being so cryptic? I switched my phone onto vibrate before following my family and went to go meet my grandparents.

"Megaline! How nice to see you!" My Granny exclaimed as she hugged me.

"You too, Gran. Merry Christmas." Her strong cake and cookies fragrance encircled me for a moment before she went to greet her Grandsons. I couldn't help myself wondering what Liz had Seen, and what it had to do with my sweet natured and kind hearted Grandma. It has to be said, she was by no standards normal and went through fostering too many times when she was a teenager. She never talks about her real parents, not to anyone. Not even Grandpops knows, and he's known her since college, which must have been a very long time ago.

"Hey Meggie!" Grandpops said gruffly before pulling me into a tight hug.

"Merry Christmas Grandpops." He let go and tousled my hair affectionately.

"Merry Christmas, come on in, sweetheart." Pops led the way into his comfortable living room, with sofas so old they were moulded to your shape as you sat down (which was surprisingly comfy), a few reclining chairs, an old gramophone and a TV the size of my desk at home, and that's saying something.

Everyone wanted to know what I got from Santa and I had enormous fun testing Granny on the HP fan books, she got an awful lot right, we were all pretty impressed. But what Mum said was more impressive was the fact I didn't even have to look in the back to see if she was right.

My phone vibrated once after I'd grilled Granny on the Prisoner Of Azkaban. Surprise, surprise, it was Liz.

"_Follow ur Gran when she goes to get prezzies BAR"_

I wiped the message the moment I read it and sat on my hands impatiently. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, and I felt a little left out, which I was far too familiar to, but rarely at my Grandparent's house. My Grandparents and I were always on the same wavelength, like our shared personality traits had skipped a generation. I was glad I got on with them, it was nice to know I was valued properly somewhere within the family, when it came to my parents, it was always too forced to be real love.

"Shall I go and get our presents, George?" Grandma asked tentatively.

"Righty-ho Leanne, watch you don't carry too much for that back of yours."

"I'll help." Every eye turned to me as I stood up, brushed myself down and followed Grandma into the kitchen and dining room. Surely they didn't think I was that lazy.

"Are you sure, dear?" Gran asked kindly as I picked up three of the bulky parcels from behind the large Christmas tree (Grandpops adored real ones and I agreed all too well).

"Of course, it's fine." I assured her and reached even further behind the tree where my finger slipped over something hard and wooden. It was smooth to the touch, and thin as a pencil. When I brought it out, I realised it was a twig, fashioned to look like a wand, fashioned very well in fact and had a beautiful gleam. But I felt no magic course through my veins when I held it, no warm feeling in my gut or the beginnings of a song, deep in my heart. It was merely a twig, either that or I'd gone native.

"Granny, what's this?" I asked hesitantly, holding up the twig.

"It's...don't worry about that, dear." She gave a little smile to cover up her embarrassment and surprise, but it was as clear as Sharpie across her forehead.

"Gran...please?" I asked politely again and a strong understanding was shared between us.

"I tried to fashion myself a wand." She said simply, sitting on the floor beside me. She combed back her wavy, grey hair with her fingers and was reminded of how young she looked for her age. Granny had elbow length, grey and white, smooth hair and laughter lines round her blue eyes. She had a cheeky smile to match Ginny's too.

"Why'd you do that, Granny?" I asked innocently, keeping my presumptions to myself. I had a lot of practice of trying to appear clueless.

"I thought I was a witch when I was younger, Meggie. Haven't you had the same thoughts?" She said dreamily. The words didn't shock me though, Granny Leanne had always been a bit weird, the kids down the road always called her a witch because of the strange clothes she often wore.

"Well." I paused for a moment, and drew my own wand out of my pocket with considerable pride and gave a little smile as she gasped in amazement. "I can't exactly prove my point, I'd get expelled. Although, I don't think they track all the worlds." I muttered the last part, talking more to myself than to her.

"That's where you've been all year?" She gasped in amazement.

"Yes. Shall I show you?" She nodded and I turned my wand to the endless amount of pine needles on the floor. Swish and flick. "Wingardium Leviosa." Gran applauded with childish delight as I made all the needles rise from the carpet and fall into the bin. A felt a little quiver of joy as I performed it; my love of magic rushing back through my veins in a heartbeat. I didn't realise how much I missed the feeling.

"That saves an hour's clearing up."

"Just one of the great perks of being a witch."

"Can I try?" She asked eagerly, her blue eyes bright with excitement.

"Err...feel free, but it only works for people who have magic..." I replied vaguely, but I couldn't bear to see her smile disappear.

"Wingardium Leviosa." She said, swished and flicked, and lifted a bauble from the floor; placing it back on one of the branches. She turned to me and grinned but I was still in dire shock.

"You're a witch?!" What? How? Who? Where?

"Yes, wonderful, isn't it?" She handed back my wand with reluctance and I muttered a little thank you.

"Hmm, but, apart from you and me, there aren't any other witches or wizards in this world."

"Well that explains why I didn't get a letter from Hogwarts, wait, other worlds?" I nodded and explained to her about 'the power of the imagination' and such. She soon knew just as much, maybe more, than Matt. It felt good to tell someone else about it all but I didn't want to branch out anymore, Angie was too happy and carefree for me to let her be weighed down by this. Ginny and Liz had so many other problems and the whole reason I'm at Hogwarts would be killed outright if I told them. Lucas wouldn't care, and my parents would probably be put into the same category too.

"It's all real, Granny."

"Yes, Meg and I'm glad it is. You tell that Harry Potter your Grandmother is a huge fan of his." She grinned and I chuckled, thank goodness for Gran.

"Thanks Gran." I shoved my curiosities in a drawer for the rest of the day, I was just glad Gran knew and was so happy about it, why she somehow freakishly had magic could be added to my list of things to ask Dumbledore when I get back. I must remember to thank Liz though.

"Took your time, did you?" Teased Grandpops with a smile when we walked in carrying enough presents for an army.

"Sorry." I whispered as I squeezed beside him on the sofa.

"Right, who wants to hand out their presents first?" Mum took the plunge first, and handed out bulky, hard to open presents. I have to admit, I was expecting mine to reveal the iPod I was supposed to get for my birthday. But it was something soft and turned out to be a rather lovely thick, brown coat with caramel coloured toggles.

"Thank you, Mum, it's great!" I did them all a twirl, wearing the coat over my blue hoodie. "How does it look?"

"Lovely, dear." She said quickly and turned her attention to Lucas who was holding a brand new blue iPod. _My_ favourite colour.

"Thank you, Mum. I've always wanted one." Lucas grinned and Mum grinned back. No one appeared to notice me, open mouthed at the scene. How could they? How _could _they?

"Meg." Gran whispered as I left the room.

I wouldn't cry. I knew I would only be able to look at the iPod once I was inside the school, as Hogwarts' enchantments would render it completely useless. I knew that. But they still could have returned it to the shop, not just given it to Lucas right in front of me.

Oh well, life's life and I've already had far worse things happen to me, not just in my life, but this year. Is Hogwarts really worth it? Well, at least Ginny is.

I decided to be sulky in the spare bedroom for a while, simply to avoid them and let them know I was upset and then returned to the living room about an hour later (when I got hungry). Everyone was sitting on the floor playing Monopoly when I came back, it was Matt's turn and he was taking a bit too long shaking his die, as he had caught my eye; mouthing to me to find out if I was alright. I nodded and sidled in between him and Gran.

"Hey there, honey. You alright to play with me?" I nodded and she let me roll the die. No one mentioned the iPod, I guess it was added to our long list of family taboos, along with Hogwarts, magic and Gran's past.

"Where's Dad?" I asked Matt and he chuckled.

"Didn't you know? He hates playing Monopoly with Gran, he says she plays it exactly like she did in real life."

"What do you mean?"

"See all that money?" He pointed to Gran's colossal stack of 200s. "She got it all from Chance cards, or passing Go. Gran's never earnt a penny in her life, or in Monopoly."

I turned to Gran, her rounded, kind eyebrows and her heart shaped face. Now I remember, now I know where I'd seen the girl from the newspaper before, the newspaper in Professor Flitwick's study.

* * *

_**Who do YOU think Leanne is? I need your theories! Autumn's been pathetic with her guesses so I'm leaving it down to you guys.**_

_**Surprise me!**_

_**And Review!**_

_**I shall be posting as normal from Thursday onwards I now shall get much needed beauty sleep.  
**_


	17. Show Me The Way To Go Home

**_Sorry peeps...this is a very short chapter and by far my shortest word count :(_**

**_I did almost pull my hair out this week when my computer corrupted the Lexicon (my little encyclopedia of everything to do with Meg etc.) which is VITAL to every word I write :( but I have created a new one in record time so you can expect a super quick chapter from me in the next few days (in theory)_**

**_HP (Something you may not already know-which for future ref shall be called 'HPSYMNAK'): Whilst rewriting my lexicon I discovered something phenomenol which made me want to strangle every witch/wizard who has ever gone to Hogwarts: They have three lessons a day! Two in the morning and one in the afternon!! On top of that they get Friday afternoons off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

**_British Culture Note (also BCN): I learnt the folowing song from my Mum and I haven't a clue whether you have it in America...look it up on Youtube. In this chapter Meg uses an A to Z which is ancient, one of the earliest map book companies which do London (and only London), they are easily the leading map company in Britain. Every British family household, even those in Yorkshire, have a dusty A to Z somewhere.  
_**

* * *

_Chapter 17_

_Show Me The Way To Go Home_

'...I'm tired and want to go to bed.

I had a little drink about an hour ago

and it's gone straight to my head!

Wherever I may roam,

be it land or across the foam,

you will always hear me singing this song:

Oh, show me the way to go home!'

We roused another chorus, touching mugs and laughing. I felt so high at that moment, among those like me and one day away from being back at Hogwarts. I didn't care that it was the middle of the night, that I was on The Knight Bus (in fact that was a good thing to me) and that I would soon be returning to lessons with wizards such as Professor Binns, which I was not looking forward to. I didn't care either that we were singing a muggle song which only I knew the lyrics to but everyone found fun.

"'Nother cocoa, Meg?" Asked Stan, breaking from the crowd of slightly tipsy singers.

"Yes please."

"We'll make Diagon Alley the next stop, do you have the money for the night?" Stan, like everyone knew I was a bit short and looked out for me, which was annoying at the least.

"Yeah, Mum gave me enough for one night."

"Good on 'er, 'ere ya go." He handed me the boiling mug carefully, as the bus was turning a tight corner. Excitement bubbled up in my stomach like butterflies when I saw The Leaky Cauldron in the distance.

"Lookin' for'd to school?" Stan queried, leaning lazily against the side of the bus.

"Do you even need to ask?" We smiled as the bus came to a stop and Ernie took my hand.

"Thank you, Ern."

"Always a pleasure me dear."

"You too."

"See ya in August, Meg." Stan said and I waved back to everyone before grabbing by bags and Wulfric, and stepping through the door into the cold and dark. I watched the bus speed off, waving my hand, until it turned a corner and disappeared, probably to Ipswich or somewhere similar.

I dragged my suitcase, step by step, to the door of The Leaky Cauldron and pushed the door to. The pub was almost deserted but every head there turned to my arrival. It was like some bizarre family gathering where I only knew a few people there, I was hugged and high 5ed from all directions, I didn't see the faces of half the people embracing me, and I barely had a chance to drink my cocoa. Finally they let me breath and I made my way to the front to talk to Tom.

"Hey, I'm back." I dug out my purse as he rolled his eyes. "I have money this time."

"Me-eg." He groaned. But took the money and started taking out the change.

"Cheers."

"Take the 3rd room, don't stay up, you have bags under your eyes." He handed over the key and I stuck out my tongue.

"You sound like my Mum."

"Night, Meg."

"Night!" I waved as I passed the crowds and dragged my feet up the stairs. It was heaven to flop onto the bed and slip my shoes off before falling into my dreams...

The next morning I woken by golden sun rays warming the blankets, I hadn't felt so calm in weeks! Two in fact. I got dressed in my own time, said Good Morning to the mirror and popped downstairs, pulling my suddenly weightless suitcase down the stairs. No, I didn't illegally (tut, tut) use a charm, everything just feels so weightless this morning.

"Morning." Tom muttered over stacks upon stacks of beer glasses.

"Morning." I smiled through the glasses, chortling at how they made Tom's bulge to the size of dinner plates and his nose tinier than a cherry.

"Are you leaving now?" He asked quietly and I nodded.

"I don't want to miss the train."

"You could stay two hours longer and I could apparate you there."

"And have me throw up on your shoes? Erlack! No thanks, I think I'll take the muggle way."

"You could get lost."

"I could _not_. There's always a possibility, either way."

"I guess." Tom rolled his eyes before coaxing one particularly nervous beer glass to clean itself under the tap (poor glass didn't like being scalded).

"I'll see you in the Summer then."

"Next Summer...sure..." He raised his weary eyes to mine but didn't smile like he usually does. "I'll miss you Meg."

"You too."

"Have a nice time."

"You too." I felt stupid, repeating the same two words, but I couldn't think of anything else to say, Tom was rarely emotional.

"See you, then."

"Bye." And with that I stepped outside into the frosty air. Cold bit my cheeks as I walked out into the open and trudged down the street. A car passed by, and I was ironically warmed by the exhaust fumes, I believe it almost defrosted my poor toes. I pulled out my ancient, threadbare A-Z and turned it over several times, flicked through the pages, and finally found where I was standing. I epically failed Geography at school so it was no surprise that it took me a good hour just to work out where I was, where I was going and how the hell I was going to get there.

After another consultation with the map, I finally set off down the street and counted the exits to the left as I went. I got a few strange looks but it must have looked a bit odd, an eleven year old girl walking down the streets of London carrying a large suitcase and a colossal bird cage (thank goodness Wulfric was sleeping at this point) with her nose stuck in the oldest A-Z you have ever seen.

Oh. My A-Z is so ancient that that passage was not there before. Indeed, an uncharted alleyway led to my left, to where King's Cross was. My original route took me all the way down past the shops, turn left, turn left again and walk for a veeeeeeeeeeeery long time until you reach the station. This could be a short cut, but then again it could not. Should I? Should I not? Blast it, I'm lazy, short cut it is!

The flagstone pavement was criss crossed with cracks and I played hopscotch and pretended the broken slabs were unlucky to lighten the mood, for the dark alleyway went on and on and on. I thought the rows upon rows of houses would never end! But, lo and behold, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. I almost ran towards it, like it was my finishing line, and felt a rush of relief when I approached the busy, main street. Another few peeks at my map stated the obvious and inevitable: I'd gone too far. The wrong direction.

King's Cross was chock a block with muggles, all talking loudly and being completely...normal. It was surprising how alike muggles were of every world, and so oblivious to the supernatural amazingness of their world. Of course there are world where fictions like _Bridget Jones_ ring true, which wouldn't bring many tourists from other worlds if you ask me.

Through the hustle and bustle everywhere, I saw a familiar girl with curls of mouse brown hair and blue eyes – Holly. I run to her screaming without thinking; causing her brother to give me a strange look and her dog to run haywire.

"Meg – can't – breathe!" Holly gasped before I let go of her.

"It's so nice to see you!" I shrieked and Holly grinned.

"You too, but be quiet, will you? Or do I need to give you a muzzle?" I drew my fingers across my mouth to show I had zipped them up and shook my head comically.

"Who's this, Hol?" Asked a younger boy who had a firm grip on the family's Golden Retreiver.

"Daniel, this is Meg, Meg, this is Daniel."

"Hey." Daniel laughed as I waved back, determined not to break my vow to silence.

"You can speak now, Meg." Holly grinned and I unzipped my mouth again.

"Phew, how do shy people survive? Anyway, who's this?" I asked, launching myself on their Golden Retriever, I loved the smell of dogs, they reminded me of the sea and they were the friendliest people I knew of.

"This is Jim Perry." Said Daniel, scratching the huge dog between the ears, much to our furry pals delight. "For short: JP, Jimmy, Jimbo, Jimbob, Perry, PJ, Pjs, Pyjamas, Jim Jams and Jippy."

"Woah, which sad person thought all of them up?" Be fair, that's a lot of nick names for one dog.

"Everyone pretty much."

"Okay..." I left that for now and decided to pet their immense dog whilst cooing 'Who's a good Jim Jammy Pants?' which caused Daniel to confirm everyone at Hogwarts was completely off their rockers.

"Err...Meg? The train should be leaving soon." Holly tapped me on the shoulder and I checked my watch, sugar.

"Crumbs, we're gonna be late!" Daniel brought JP to heel and waved goodbye before Holly and I manoeuvred our trolleys, with difficulty in front of the solid wall between platforms 9 and 10.

"See you on the other side." Holly tapped her hand to her head and raced towards the barrier, I ran behind her in fast pursuit.

Seeing the crowds of witches and wizards stuffed onto the platform brought this wonderful, warm feeling to my chest, similar to the sensation after drinking hot chocolate, which surged down to my finger tips and my toes, I forgot I was ever cold. The mere thought of magic made my head dizzy with joy, and my knees shake with excitement...I was going back to Hogwarts again. I couldn't wait.


	18. The Unsolved Riddles

_**We're back in business. I have holidays now so hopefully I can complete two or three more chapters for you before school starts again :).**_

_**In this chapter we find out an awful lot so pay attention.

* * *

**_

Chapter 18

The Unsolved Riddles

Nothing had changed, but somehow everything was different, the sound of wind whistling through the trees, the majesty of the castle and how I felt I belonged, each was the same, but had changed over the short period of time, in a way that I will never be able to explain to everyone. I couldn't do what I usually did when I came back to school after a long break, which was to completely forget that I even had a holiday, and slip easily back into the school day routine. But it was different now, I don't think I've ever had so many things to think about, but my brain still reserved a dusty little corner to wonder all day long, all night too when I couldn't sleep, about the other Megaline, and who my grandmother was to Professor Flitwick.

The cold bit my bare legs as I soldiered on to where Ginny was hidden, it was a magical little coppice of trees, almost arranged in a circular around a small lake (when I say small lake, I mean you could fit half the Great Hall on the surface, so not very small at all) which was iced over very thinly, creating an almost glacial look. Ginny sat swinging her legs on a low branch, her head rested comfortably against the trunk, her red hair free and radiant down her back, not in the scraggy ponytail that she wore it in far too often nowadays. It was the perfect place for her, and her favourite of the whole school and its grounds.

"Boo." I whispered in her ear and she jumped a little, but only enough to make me snigger.

"You're back!" Ginny grinned as she turned round and patted the branch to invite me to sit down beside her, which I accepted gratefully and sunk into her arms. "Tired?"

"You bet. I've missed you, ginger." Ginny chortled before retorting.

"You too, almost-redhead-almost-brunette-can't-quite-decide."

"Auburn."

"Is that the technical name?"

"Apparently."

"Well strike me down, and call me Bob!"

"I would, but I'm too lazy." I groaned and Ginny ruffled my hair, which triggered a fully fledged fight, which had an extremely predictable ending, or so Ginny thought so when she had me pinned to the ground, after pulling us both off the tree branch.

"Ginny-y! Let me go!" I flailed my arms and legs, but Gin was extremely strong for her size and age.

"Not until you ask nicely."

"Let me go, please?" I even pulled the puppy dog face but her smile only grew wider.

"Beg."

Over the next few weeks, the Gryffindor common room was full of rumours about poor Hermione in the hospital wing. Of course, everyone thought she was petrified at first, but a week or two in, gossips of "Have you seen her tail?!" were more common. Ginny and I went back to classes as usual, and everything was as it should be, I was only reminded of my 'odd jobs' when Ginny pulled out her diary, almost two weeks into the new term, and started to write on her lap. I pulled back my covers and sat on the edge of my bed, while Ginny watched me out of the corner of her eye, I grabbed the book from her hands and danced off with it (nobody else had come upstairs yet) while Ginny screamed blue murder.

"You wouldn't dare!" She shouted at me, for I had climbed (I think my magic kicked in somewhere along the line) to the top of her four poster and was waving the book, just out of reach.

"You're right, I wouldn't." I slid down and handed the book back. "But I'm worried about you, look at those bags!" It was true, the black bags beneath her eyes were becoming her most prominent feature by far, and her skin was unnaturally pale, even for a ginger. Her freckles had almost faded with exhaustion, which I have to say she might even be pleased about. "Promise me you'll stay off the diary for a while."

"Meg..."

"Please?" I held up my pinky and she took it reluctantly. "Thank you." I beamed at her and she returned the small half heartedly. When it came to lights out, I was impressed to see the diary was still on her desk, bold as brass and looking ever so innocent.

I was so weary with sleep that night that I turned over almost immediately and closed my eyes to welcome the much needed rest. But, as I have discovered, sleeping is easier said than done, for my head was still crammed full of unsolved puzzles, the main two were of course the other Megaline and my grandmother, every thought I had oriented around the two people whose mere existence made no visible sense, like riddles, I just couldn't get my head around them. Riddles...! How did I not see this before? Tom Riddle would be the perfect person to ask, since Gran was just over fifty years older than me! How dumb am I?

Overflowing with excitement, I rolled over and seized the shabby diary, armed myself with a quill and pot, hid under the covers, lit my wand and began to write to the darkest wizard of all time...

Hello, Tom.

_Good evening, to whom do I owe the pleasure?_

Ginny, who else?

_Why Ginny, is there something the matter with your hand today, I don't even recognise your writing?_

Ah, nice try, this is Holly, another Gryffindor, Ginny's told me all about you.

_And what might you want, Miss Holly of Gryffindor?_

I was wondering if you knew anything about a girl named Leanna? I've heard she's something to do with Professor Flitwick...

_Yes._

Can you tell me?

_No._

Why can't you tell me really, Tom?

_Don't want you running off to tell little Ginevra about the oddities in her diary, do we?_

I shan't tell her.

_Do I have your word?_

If you don't tell me, I'm sure I could find a nice basilisk fang to tear you to shreds and then you wouldn't spurt out such fancy words and posh handwriting, would you? Now doesn't that chill you to the bone?

I_f I had one, shall we?_

okay.

I sat back for a moment, bracing myself against the head board while page after page flicked by, as if a strong wind had attacked the diary. It stopped on the 5th July and the small screen appeared like it had for Harry and, before I knew it, I was sucked into the Slytherin common room as it was in 1943. The common room was completely empty and moonlight shone through the far window, it was probably September, and definitely a weekend. I spotted Tom with no trouble, raven black hair and green eyes set into a shallow pale face, writing feverishly at the table on a piece of parchment that was growing longer and longer. Looking at him now, I could see all the reasons Harry thought he was so similar to the Tom Riddle, but they meant nothing when his eyes pierced yours, and you saw no mercy, only hatred and selfishness through his cold, glaring, eyes. I could only compare them to that of an Eagle, which can examine the every move of their prey from miles above them. The eagle is the ultimate stalker. Now I've got Every Breath You Take by The Police in my head, which is rather ironic because it'd be rather strange to be stalked by the police...moving on...what was I on about? Oh yeah, looking at Tom Riddle, such an interesting hobby.

Just as I remembered the task in hand, Tom's hand paused over the parchment as he reread his letter, which had swiftly become a novel. Bored, I spun round, hoping to gaze at a painting, or amuse myself with some strange piece of architecture, but the only thing that stood out from the filthy (and they call _us_ Mudbloods) black walls was a grim portrait of a highly upper class Slytherin professor, he was very old, had wrinkles on his wrinkles and his nose was held high in the air. He surveyed the room with cruel eyes and gave me a look of utter disgust. I was also under the impression that this man was most certainly mad. Hoping to find something less grim, I scanned the walls for anymore signs of colour, there was a whitish shape in the corner. I forced my mouth shut before the scream came out, I wasn't very fond of skulls, especially not one with something that looked like rotting flesh...

I was extremely relieved at that point to hear a rustle of papers and the scrape of wood against stone, Riddle held his rolled parchment like a shield in front of him, before leading the way through the portrait hole. I scrambled after him, clumsily losing my footing, and before I knew it, I was face first on the floor, yeah, it hurt. I recovered from the fall as quickly as I could and ran full pelt after Riddle. My silent companion was a very hard one to walk with, being four or five years older than me, he had legs twice the length of mine and walked in long strides, which were equal to me half running, half walking like some sort of loon. We climbed up a lot of stairs, rounded a good few corners, but still I followed him like shadow, like some loony shadow who didn't know how to walk or run. Hey, maybe I'm the stalker, face it, I'd be a lame stalker.

Why did I not just go ahead without him? It was incredibly predictable that he was heading here, in front of the two gargoyles that guard the headmaster's office.

"Muggles." Whispered Tom to the gargoyles, they hopped aside without complaint and he mounted the great eagle staircase. I gave him a 'Do-you-really-know-everything?' look before following him up the staircase.

Tom and I leant against the wall outside the office with impatient fingers, both fiddling with anything we could find. I found it rather comical at the time that Tom was biting down on his bottom lip, the same way Ginny did when she was nervous, except Gin added the whole 'rabbit in the headlights' look. While we waited, I heard voices behind the door, one could distinguish Flitwick's squeaky voice easily, which makes the other one almost certainly belong to Professor Dippet, the headmaster of 1942. It took me a while to decipher what they were talking about, but I did a double take when I heard Gran's name passed around.

"You know my daughter, Leanna?" Asked the somewhat squeakier voice.

"Leanna, you say? I believe so, Filius."

"She's been very down recently, the recent death of my parents has really put a lot of strain on the poor girl."

"I really don't see why Poppy can't have her back, surely she knew lodging at your parents was only a temporary arrangement."

"I don't think she'll be ever be happy to welcome Leanna back, she's too proud."

"Now, now, you mustn't judge her too harshly, it's the way she was brought up, and there's no changing it. It's such a terrible thing to happen to members of a family like hers."

"I guess there's no rose without a thorn."

"Here, here. Now what was it you came to see me about?"

"I don't think you've understood, Leanna can't stay with her school friends forever, they have lives too." I might have heard a bell ring in Dippet's head, had I not been making similar noises myself, as each puzzle piece fitted together.

"Filius!"

"Armando, please do not be the person who condemns me to send my youngest child onto the streets at fifteen! I've been a faithful teacher here for twenty years now, and I think it's time I got something back. Don't you?"

"I'm sorry Filius, but there's nothing I can do." Despite his words, Armando sounded professional and detached, as if it had nothing to do with him.

"In that case, I'm very sorry to have bothered you." Filius didn't sound sorry at all, he sounded angry, and I didn't blame him. Poor Leanna.

"Goodnight, Filius." A scrape of an armchair and the pitter patter of tiny feet told me he was coming, so, instinctively, I hid behind Tom, who had placed himself further up the staircase than can be seen by opening the door.

"Goodnight." Filius muttered before opening the old door with a creak and dragging his feet down the stairs, disappointed and forlorn.

Tom and I only entered once the teacher had left the stairwell and Tom closed the door behind himself, luckily I'd already sneaked in.

"Tom, what brings you here this time in the evening?" Asked Dippet, shuffling some papers. Dippet wasn't at all how I'd ever imagined him, he was dressed in fine robes and had a gorgeous blue, silk, pointed hat placed precariously on top of his bald head.

"Just this, hear me out Professor, please." He handed over the rolled parchment, which he had concealed in his robes.

"Ah, is this another-?"

"Yes, and I might enlighten you to the fact that I heard every word you said to Professor Flitwick." Tom threatened and I marvelled how easy it was for him to wind the most cunning of teacher round his little finger.

"Well then, Tom, I'll see that this gets seen to, and then I'll see what I can do in other matters."

"Sorry to pry, but why can't Leanna come to Hogwarts?" Tom asked cautiously, although he already half knew the answer.

"There is no place for Squibs in a place of magic, his Mrs knows that and he should too." Tom nodded and sat down before Dippet's desk. They started to talk, but I couldn't pick out the words, the scene before became a blur...and then nothing at all.

I don't know when my experiences in Tom's memories blurred lines with my dreams, but I barely remember any of it. My head only held flashes of one of my most vivid nightmares, well I can remember that I thought that, when I could still remember it.

A little girl with blonde hair sat on a swing, which overlooked a little, blue pond in which I could see her reflection of kind, blue eyes, for she had her back to me. Her mother was shouting at her back and the little girl's hands tightened their grip on the swing. Her mother shouted still, and her anger brought waves on the little pond, they splashed against the crying girl's feet and spoilt her summer dress, but the girl could do nothing, she could not command anything with her mind, and that made her a disappointment, something that could only be laughed at.

The scene flipped, quite literally. Green grass turned red, a blue pond turned orange, the sky an egg yolk orange and the girl's once blonde hair turned purple. The scene played again, her mother shouted, and the girl got scared, but this time it was _her_ anger that made ripples on the surface and splashed bucket loads of water into the face of her mother. A white shadow on the red grass showed the mother screaming and squirming as the water ruined what she had been wearing. She wasn't just disgusted at her daughter's magic, she was petrified.

When I woke in the middle of the night I could only remember two pictures, the blonde girl scorned at by her mother, and the purple haired girl disgusted at by her mother. What did this mean? I could easily assume Leanna was the girl on the swing, and Poppy Flitwick (Holy Cow, I'm sort of related to a wizard!) her mother. But then if the blonde haired, ordinary looking one belongs to this world, representing that her mother excluded her because she was a Squib, then the other would show...'The World Of Make Believe'! Which means...that Squibs' parallels are wizards and witches in the world where there are none. Well that explains...

Poor Granny.

I'm sort of related to a wizard!

Well, the other me is related to a wizard, you know, the Other Megaline...I wonder if Riddle knows _everything_?

Tom?

_Aren't you supposed to be in bed?_

Yes, but...

_You have another query?_

Uh-huh.

_Go on then._

Have you ever heard of 'The World Of Make Believe'?

_Yes, but I can't remember when._

Can you remember anything about it?

_Well, it has no magic of its own, except the magic of thought, and that magic creates all the other worlds. Parallel worlds._

Do you think that means that we all have parallels? As in someone the same as us, with the same name, but has grown up in the other world?

_Yes, and no. Think about it logically, because of magic and supernatural things that have to happen for that world to follow the plot of the person's idea._

Oh.

_So you might get parallels being killed, getting rich, or you might even get changelings._

Changelings?

_When children are swapped almost immediately after birth._

Thanks Tom, 'Night.

_Goodnight._

I shut the book as quickly as I could. Changeling...I was a changeling and the other Megaline was the rightful owner of that name, the rightful member of that family and the daughter my - _her _parents always wanted. Then who was I?

* * *

**_Thank you for being faithful and reading this far, for adding me to favourites, reviewing, subscribing and generally being awesome, and I would not be writing this if it was not for you guys._**

**_Please review to tell me what you think._**

_**And yes, I've changed Leanne's name to Leanna, which I prefer, it sounds more magical, don't you think?**_

**_

* * *

  
_**


	19. Might Not Be Meg, But I'm Me

_Chapter 19_

_Might not be Meg, but I'm Me_

I didn't make it for Transfiguration, or even DADA with Liz. It was only at Lunch that I dragged my sorry self down to the Great Hall and decided to start pretending I'd been there the whole time and try to think of something else for people to call me.

"Meg!" I spun round whilst hovering at the tables, and found Holly, bless her, had saved me a seat.

"Hey, Holls." I gratefully took the seat and yawned, very loudly.

"I think I can guess where you've been all morning." Holly laughed and I stuck my tongue out. "You know, you and Ginny are going to have to be escorted to lessons if you keep missing them, it isn't that hard you know, there being only three lessons in a day."

"Huh, well I'll make a special effort to make an appearance to Charms this afternoon."

"Good, good."

I did indeed make an effort to turn up to Charms, early in fact, since I had nothing better to do when I couldn't find either of my troublemakers.

Filch was in his study pouring over a newspaper, so I came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Professor?"

"Ah yes, Miss Andrews, isn't it?" Okay, this is like watching 'Fifty Years Younger!'

"Tell me, do you recognise the surname 'Andrews'?"

"Isn't it yours?" He drew his eyebrows in confusion and I smirked.

"Not quite, you remember?"

"Oh, rather unfortunate that I do."

"Me too, but I thought you'd want to know, in my world, Leanna Andrews – my sort of grandmother – is doing great, she's a wonderful grandmother." I don't think I've ever made a teacher cry before.

My first day of not being Megaline passed rather quickly, I paid special attention during Charms and barely talked at all to Liz and Ginny, I had an extremely normal lunch and supper, and I helped an old man feel more at peace with his regrets of the past. When all is said and done it all comes down to being you, when you don't know who you are, then try being me.

I might never found out which wizarding family I really belong to, but being me will do for now.

"Meg, are you asleep?" Ginny whispered.

"No." I whispered back and we both surveyed the silent dormitory before leaping out of bed. Ginny didn't need to tell me she had something to say. She led the way down the spiral staircase and almost ran to the port hole. We ran through corridor after corridor and staircase after staircase. We didn't dare breath in case we got caught, I didn't dare tell her how stupid she was being.

Without a word between us, we ran into the girl's toilet and hid in a locked cubicle.

"You wrote in it didn't you?" Ginny held up the filthy diary and I could see the anger in her brown eyes, not just anger but sadness as she looked upon the face of a betrayer. The fierce Weasley girl didn't cry, she never cried, but her anger was more fiery than her hair.

"Ginny..."

"Why? Why did you write to Tom?" She shouted, loud as she dared, but I could only back away.

"I'm sorry, but I just wanted to know."

"To know what? Why couldn't you ask the girl who's supposed to be your best friend?!" She demanded and I choked on my words.

"You wouldn't know."

"Meg, please tell me what you wrote, please."

"I can't."

"So you'll tell a book but you can't tell me?"

"Could say the same for you, Gin." She drooped when she realised she was the hypocrite.

"Sorry."

"How did you know I'd read it?" Personal as the question might be, I couldn't help asking.

"The look in your eyes, it's like looking in a mirror." I smirked.

"Ginny, we've got to do something about the diary."

"Tom's bad, isn't he?"

"Yeah." Our eyes both wandered to the toilet bowl as we both thought the same thing. "I'll do it." I put out my hand for Riddle's Diary but Ginny set her own hand in it instead.

"Keep holding that," She gestured to her hand. "it'd be useful to have an anchor, I keep drifting out to sea."

"Don't worry Ginny, I got you." She smiled and threw the diary down the toilet, and I pulled the chain. We shared a smile and ventured out of the cubicle. Footsteps echoed down the corridors, hardly daring to breath, we ran for it. We trod familiar paths all the way to...oops...the great hall. We sighed and then ran up the stairs to the main stairwell.

"Straight across the stairwell," Ginny whispered as we caught a changing staircase.

"upwards to the left." I joined in and we both giggled as we ran.

"Down the corridor,"

"under the tapestry on the right."

"Up the rickety stairs,"

"mind the trick step!"

"Left and past the Suit of Armour,"

"right and through the hidden door."

"Upwards to the left,"

"and straight across the main stairwell."

"Left round the corner,"

"right up the stairs."

"Left down the corridor,"

"up the final steps!"

And so we ran through the school, chanting the song we'd made up at our second day in Hogwarts, let ourselves into the common room ('Goblets') and kept running to our dormitory, only when we there did we laugh, louder than we'd ever laughed before. Good thing I knew 'Muffliato'.

I mustn't be a very good time keeper because, the next thing I knew, we were all playing a very childish game over the breakfast table, Wednesday 1st February.

"Pinch, punch, first day of the month no returns!" Ginny stuck out her tongue after I'd pinched and punched her.

"A kick" Ow! "and a flick for being so quick!" She retaliated. Liz watched our childish play fight, she's used to it by now, from a safe distance across the table.

"Remind me again why I started hanging around with you sad people?" She asked vaguely.

"Because we're cool!" Beamed Ginny and Liz found it very amusing at that point to ruffle her hair – a Ginny no no – and paid dearly. But what can you say?

That weekend saw Harry, Ron and Hermione (having very recently come out of the Hospital Wing) sat in the corner of the common room, pouring over a very battered and water trodden diary. It cracked me up when Hermione pulled her giant pink eraser (or should I say 'Revealer'), thinking something would be uncovered on '1st January'. Of course, nothing was.

"Meg?" Ginny pleaded (After a lot of thinking I couldn't think up any other name for people to call me apart from Leanna, my middle name which would get a few strange looks from Flitwick. As long as they don't call me by my full name I'll manage).

"What, Ginny?"

"Thank you for helping me get rid of the diary." She grinned gratefully.

"No problem, glad to see you've slept."

"Huh, it makes a real difference, doesn't it?"

"You wouldn't expect it to, would you?" We both giggled for a minute and then turned to some urgent homework, urgent and boring.

Herbology.

Need I say more?

Usually I'd be complaining about back wrenching jobs and harmful plants that burn, poison, eat and freeze you all at once. But for first years they reserve the most boring word I've ever heard in my life, a 'lecture'. In my old school we had a 'lecture theatre' which is the weirdest oxymoron I've ever heard, theatre's are supposed to be fun, right?

To be honest, Herbology lectures really weren't _that_ bad. But they did follow a very repetitive pattern in Greenhouse 1.

"Now, today we shall be studying Alihotsy. Can anybody tell me anything about Alihotsy?" Professor Sprout asked and a few Ravenclaw hands shot into the air. "Miss Teal?" Will's twin sister went a slight shade of pink before speaking.

"Alihotsy is a creeper plant, like a vine, its leaves are very soft and, when eaten, can send the consumer into hysterical laughter." She said shyly. I decided I like Tammy, if completely different from her determined, confident brother, she was a sweet, earnest kid in her own brunette, pig tailed way.

"Thank you Miss Teal, 5 points to Ravenclaw, would you like to try the first leaf?" Professor Sprout hunted between the many pots behind her for a pretty, green creeper and handed one of the smallest leaves to Tammy.

"Thank you." After a worried look towards her brother, who gave a thumbs up back, she stuffed the leaf into her mouth, chewed for a bit and then threw both her hands over her mouth. Tammy was literally shaking with laughter, giggles escaping through her hands. The class watched wide eyed as the hysteria caused her roll about on the floor, laughing her head off, her hands forgetting to keep the laughter in.

"Is she alright, miss?" Will asked and Professor Sprout only laughed.

"She'll be right back to her normal self once someone can remind me what the cure is." To everyone's surprise, not even a Ravenclaw rose their hands. "Well, well, well, what are we going to do about Miss Teal? Look in your books, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi!" She hissed and we all pulled our books out, well aware that Tammy's laughter was becoming deafening.

"What was it called again?" Ginny whispered as we rifled through the pages.

"Alihotsy, there we are! '_The sap from a Glumbumble tree has many uses, including making the counter treatment to the hysterical effects of Alihotsy leaves, in a recipe mixed with sugar, making a treacle like substance'!"_ I whispered and stuck my hand up.

"Miss Andrews?"

"Glumbumble treacle should do the trick."

"And how do we make that?"

"By mixing the sap of a Glumbumble tree with sugar." Professor Sprout waved her hand in a circular motion to keep me going, but I'd already said everything in the book! Wait, I've actually made treacle before, and... "Stir over a low heat in a pan, being careful not to burn it."

"5 points to Gryffindor, would you like to give Miss Teal her remedy?" She turned her back to us again.

"Won't I need a cooker, miss?"

"No, no, here's some I made earlier." Professor Sprout brought out a very honey like mixture, gold in colour and a very strange tree like plant. It had a very hard brown stem with little shoots of green leaves coming out of points. At first I thought the plant was swaying in the breeze, but there was no breeze, the plant was moving to steady itself as our teacher moved it to show the class, like a bird whose head always appeared to stay in still when the bird was in flight or sitting on an unsteady branch. She handed me the pot and I dolloped a large amount on a spoon. Cautious on my approach, I carefully walked up to Tammy, rolling about and screaming with laughter, and shoved the spoon in her open mouth. The result was almost immediate, she let out one last giggle, put on a huge grin to match her bright eyes and asked me, in a very non-Tammy way, and asked me:

"I is ere a oon ini y ou?" Everyone laughed behind me as I turned steadily red and pulled the spoon right out of Tammy's mouth. I helped her up and she sped away, still grinning, to her friends, Fiona and Hannah. After this bizarre series of events, I sidled behind Ginny, slipped the jar back on top of the cupboard, and pretended nothing had happened.

"Thank you, Miss Teal, Miss Andrews. Who else wants to try?" Professor Sprout asked. To her surprise, every hand was held up, and everyone called "Me!", including Tammy, bless her.

"What day is it?" I asked drowsily, stirring my soup round and round the bowl.

"Wednesday." Ginny answered, a little too impatiently.

"Again?"

"Every 7 days."

"Or 14."

"Or 21, doesn't really matter, Meg."

"I guess." I sipped some soup, decided it was too hot, and swapped swiftly back to stirring it round and round the bowl while Ginny gave an impatient sigh.

"Come on, we have Potions soon, and we still haven't done the homework."

"But we don't know how to do it." I moaned.

"We can always copy...or actually try for once."

"Stop being so uptight, I've told you enough times. You usually don't care." She'd been like this for weeks, it was so unlike her.

"I know I don't." She hid her face in her hair, and I decided that was the queue to go. After one last stir, I decided I wasn't hungry after all, left the soup on the table, and ducked under said table.

"Well, let's go and get it done then."

We were passing by the eastern corridor when I saw another 'cupid' running off to deliver its singing card. The reminder sent me back to earth with a jolt, Drucemia in Herbology and chatting in DADA allowed me to completely forget it was Valentine's day, and that the ginger walking beside me _should_ be thinking up a rather crude poem pretty soon. But Ginny looked in no mood to write poems, and I suspect she's actually pretty good at writing them.

"Gin?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to send a Valentine's?" I cocked my head to one side as her eyes exploded to the size of dinner plates.

"No way!" She gasped, horrified.

"The cupids don't have to tell Harry you sent it."

"Nuh-uh." She shook her head and...yeah...I was like: 'so what the hell am I going to do now?' When a miracle came, in the form of garbled speech, heard from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"You might not have to." I muttered and ran into the bathroom, ignoring the out of order notice, for what I had heard was "What word rhymes with pickled toad?"

"Blackboard!!" I shouted into thin air, and Moaning Myrtle floated out of a cubicle to my left, much to Ginny's surprise.

"Toad and blackboard? Are you stupid?" Myrtle asked, forever holding a patronising tone.

"It's close enough: His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a blackboard." Ginny and Myrtle both gave me very funny looks.

"You been eavesdropping on me?" She snarled and I decided to retreat a few steps, better safe than sorry.

"Well, yes, I thought I'd better help. You're writing a Valentine's, aren't you?"

"You did, did you? Thought you might help me?" She scorned as I took another step backwards, this was not going to be easy. At this point, Ginny dearest decided to remind me she was there...

"May I just ask: What the hell?" Give me strength.

"Yes you may...but don't expect me to answer. Myrtle, wouldn't you like me to help you finish the rhyme, and then we can send the message off with a cupid before third lesson starts, wouldn't that be great?" I pleaded and she sulked childishly for a minute or two, but grinded her teeth together and took a seat at the window eventually.

"So...what have you got so far?" I leant against one of the sinks and Gin copied, unfortunately hers wasn't as dry as mine, so she got wet sleeves as a punishment for being a copycat.

"'His eyes are as green as a slimy toad, his hair is as black as a blackboard.'"

"Wouldn't it sound better if..." You get the gist, everything worked out as in the book eventually, but that one was harder than I thought it was gonna be, and I never expected it to be Myrtle! Of course, there has been speculation on the internet, about who wrote the Valentine's from the moment the words were published, but I still thought Ginny was a pretty likely candidate.

Plus, Ginny went a bit haywire when she realised that it looked like she had written the dreadful poem, I did tell her again and again that it wasn't my fault...well...that isn't lying, strictly speaking!

This whole mission malarkey is beginning to feel like a PS2 game, like the ones Lucas used to play all summer holidays, and I'd watched him like it had been some new amazing TV show. I wish it was a game though, however much I love Hogwarts, I wish I could switch it all off and go back to my ordinary world, where I'm just plain old Megaline, Megaline who was awkward when her Guides troop went to archery, because she was left handed, Megaline who was always being told off by the teachers when she didn't answer the register because her nose was glued into a book, Megaline who called her brother 'Lu' when she was six, Megaline who wouldn't answer the phone until she was nine, because she thought there were scary people on the other end, plain old Megaline. Now I don't even have that. Oh, let the game end!

I was immersed in the thoughts of my old life that night, almost like I was in a time warp, ditto with Harry downstairs. I built myself a protective bubble, so thick that when it was penetrated...it was far too late...

Wind tore my hair, and the cold bit my ears and nose, I was no longer in my bed, I lay in coarse, wet grass instead. Shaky on my feet, and freezing cold, I first remarked what a strange dream this was...and then I thought to myself 'no one should ever be subjected to such pain in effing dreams!!!!!'.


End file.
